A former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Kogi State, Chief James Ocholi (SAN), has said there is no faction in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ocholi, who addressed reporters after the state stakeholders’ meeting held in Lokoja, the state capital, explained that what was perceived as a faction was the pre-registration meeting of various political parties that formed the APC.
According to him, the members of the defunct political parties have come together to run the new party in the state and plan ahead on how to take over power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State and at the centre.
He said the meeting adjourned for a larger parley, for which a date has not been fixed, to accommodate some aggrieved PDP members who want to join the APC.
“We have decided to adjourn today’s meeting to a larger one. That will be after we have ushered in those from PDP and other political parties into our fold. We want to make a bigger one so that even the PDP will shiver,” Ocholi said.
On the possibilities of some sponsored individuals, who may join the party with the aim of causing problem, he said: “We are much aware of this. But we have our own mechanism to identify and consequently dislodge them. I cannot tell you our mechanism, until that time.”
He stressed that the APC is so large that it can accommodate all the PDP members, including other political parties who are yet to make up their mind.
The secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Lokoja was yesterday taken over by an army of APC members who wanted to attend the meeting.
The main hall of the NUJ Press Centre could not accommodate the crowd. Several others had to hang by the window to participate in the meeting.
