An All Progressives Congress member of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Ayo Omidiran, on Thursday, dismissed insinuations that the party’s national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, would leave the APC for another political party.
She also said Tinubu’s strong allies like the Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, and other associates, would not leave the APC which they sacrificed so much to build for anybody.
Omidiran, who represents Ayedaade, Irewole, Isokan Federal Constituency of Osun State, told The PUNCH that other politicians could choose to leave the APC, but not Tinubu and his associates.
She added, “Tinubu, my governor, his associates and those people you mentioned will not leave the APC for anybody because it is their party.
“There is nothing like leaving the APC for another party. Leave it for whom?
“Other people can say they want to leave but Tinubu will not leave his party.”
Omidiran admitted that the APC had its “own issues,” which were being addressed.
She did not go into specifics, but stated that whatever were the issues, they were not enough to break the party into fragments.
“In APC, have you ever heard of New APC or any such names?
“It is in the PDP that you can talk about factions or new PDP; we don’t have new APC,” she added.
Asked whether the APC would survive as a united front till 2019 to contest the general elections, Omidiran said the party was intact.
“We remain solid; the party is strong,” she insisted.
Omidiran described herself as a “loyal party member to the core” as exhibited during the acrimonious contest for the speakership of the 8th House of Representatives in June, 2015.
She explained how her loyalty made her to pitch tent with the preferred candidate of the APC for the position, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, as against supporting the eventual winner, Mr. Yakubu Dogara.
“But, I can tell you now that all that is in the past. The House is one and united and there was nothing really personal in the struggle back then between Mr. Speaker and I. It was just to support the party’s position,” she added.
Omidiran admitted that the loyalty cost her the post of a standing committee chairman.
