Press Statement
APC, CHANGE! APC, CHANGE!
Dear Party Men and Women,
WE HAVE FAILED OUR MEMBERS
Please permit me to use this medium to communicate with you. I come to you with the peace God.
Barely a few days ago, we lost the State Chairman of our great Party, Chief Ini Okopido to the cruel hands of death. May his soul rest in peace.
His death has provoked the humanity in us and stirred our emotions regarding the dwindling fortunes and future of Akwa Ibom APC.
As a former State Chairman of the Party, I share your pains and emotions because this party is my “baby”. For 10 years, I nurtured this party. I have read comments, some highly provocative posted in the social media for and against the spontaneous decision of the State Working Committee (SWC) to appoint the Deputy Chairman, Dr. Ita Udosen as Acting Chairman of the Party.
It is evident from the review of the posts that the issue is not the constitutionality of the decision or action but as proffered by many, the haste with which the action was taken without recourse to the accustomed tradition of lapse of time as a mark of honour before funeral and other engagements of the deceased. The propriety or otherwise of this decision, nay its timing is the least controversy we should entertain at this period of the fragile existence of our party.
I crave the forgiveness of those who feel hurt by the decision of the party taking cognizance of its infallibility. As a former State Chairman, I appreciate the weight of the decision, the need to balance contending interest and at the same time move the party forward. It is for these reasons, that I hereby tender an unreserved apology on-behalf of the party to everyone who has been hurt by the action of the party.
Going forward, I am aware as many of us do about the despondency and near comatose condition that our party has fallen. At a peep, we find ominous signs of trouble and a failing party devoid of the vibrancy of progressive political parties. We must all therefore rise up, eschew acrimony and join hands to rebuild our party in the state. This is not the time to faint but to set our hands on the plough and not look back.
I recognize the burden and responsibility of the Party to also serve the interest of its members. It is the responsibility of a political party to socialize its members into democratic politics and provide them with access to government machinery and welfare schemes. I am afraid APC has largely disappointed its members in this respect. The Party’s reward system is awfully poor, discriminatory and require urgent review. The party lacks cohesion, oneness of mind and unanimity of purpose. It seems a convenient platform or vehicle for highly individualistic objectives of either assuring electoral victory or securing political appointment or even enhancing access to business patronage.
The Party should not be seen to exist only for elections. It should equally be seen to exist after elections. In that regard, I propose a proper reconciliation of aggrieved members particularly aspirants who mobilized for the 2015 general elections, 2017 Local Government elections, 2018 Party congresses and 2019 general elections. Furthermore, absence of internal Party democracy and financial transparency has inhibited the performance of the party. Squabblings in the party are usually associated with this twin vices. Lack of a level playing field and imposition of candidates at party nomination primaries promotes disaffection and encourages defection.
Fellow compatriot, we must henceforth make a commitment to reposition our party as a true reflection of the purpose and essence of a political party as a vehicle for political engineering. We cannot afford to fold our hands and watch our beloved party collapse in our own eyes.
Thank you and God bless you all.
Dr. Amadu Attai
Former State Chairman,
APC, Akwa Ibom Chapter
9th August 2020