The All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman, Kwara South Senatorial District, Alhaji Jimoh Balogun has called on the party to put its house in order following the decision of former Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The party chieftain, who spoke to newsmen over the weekend in Ilorin, said the ruling party must act now to forestall gale of defection from the party in the future.
He said: “The pulling out of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar from APC to PDP, is not a good development. If you critically look at what is happening in our party, APC right now is bad. Atiku formed the government with us, we won the election, we have the victory but it is saddening that we cannot manage our victory well.
“Although, I cannot speak for Atiku, but his pulling out of the party may not be unconnected with the sort of things going on in APC. We have to put things right so that the party does not implode or collapsed in the nearest future,” he added.
While lamenting that the President Muhammad Buhari led administration has not lived up to expectation of Nigerians, Balogun called on the party at the national level to reorganise and restrategise for better performance and efficiency.
He advised the the national chairman of the party to sermon an all encompassing meeting of stakeholders to fashion out way to save the party.
“I am afraid because time is not on our side and we need urgent solution to our problems. I urged our party leadership to put sentiment apart and face reality so that APC will continue to rule this country.
On the recent Appeal Court Judgement on the Code of Conduct Tribunal trial of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Balogun said the pronouncement further shows that the former Kwara governor was merely being persecuted.
He added that Saraki was taken to court by the Federal Government on trump up charges, expressing optimism that he would be discharged and acquitted of the allegations.
“It is shocking that government could drag somebody to the CCT and framed 18 count charges against him and at end of the day at the CCT he has no case to answer. The same government appealed the case and they are now coming up with three-count charges.
“Nigerians will realise that it was just mere persecution not prosecution of the Senate President because he is an advocate of due process,” he said.
The party stalwart, then urged the judiciary to be upright, for justice to prevail in the country, urging members of the bench to discharge their responsibilities with the fear of God.
