We Will Not Apologize to Anyone Over Anti-Corruption War – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that despite the criticism of partisanship trailing President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war, the party owes no one any apology. This was the position of the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. Odigie-Oyegun spoke with State House correspondents after a meeting of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) members held with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He was reacting to allegations that the ongoing anti-corruption war is aimed at further decimating the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The APC chairman, however, said the party’s position was that the rot in the country must be cleansed irrespective of whose ox is gored. He however said his party was not interested in a one-party state, saying the nation needs a constructive opposition. He said, “The APC is not in any way apologetic. We promised change and there is a lot of rot in the system. This must be cleansed and whoever and whatever ox is being gored, where ever the tree is going to fall, so, let it be. “We must get used to the fact that in the process of cleansing this nation, there is going to be a lot of bullets to bite. “The APC has not been in office at national level in the last 10 to 16 years.  So, the issue of whether somebody is PDP or not PDP does not arise. We have a nation to cleanse. The president has committed himself to that and we should support it whatever way it comes. We are not being apologetic about that at all. “It has nothing to do with witch-hunting. It just happened that the dramatist personel of the period all happened to be on one side of the political divide. We have absolutely no intention to pressurize any group or any nation towards a one-party state. It is not in our interest so to do because we need a vibrant opposition. “We need an opposition that will contribute constructively to the national discourse, that will make us sit up and deliver to the people what we promised. But the task is enormous and if anybody is ready to help to discharge these responsibilities, he is most welcome.” Odigie-Oyegun added that the party regretted the bloodshed that characterized the just-concluded governorship election in Bayelsa State.