Immediate past Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, has urged the party and its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to initiate a nationwide reconciliation of aggrieved members to ensure a smooth sail in the 2023 general election.
He said the outcome of last Saturday’s Osun State governorship election should be a warning signal to the party ahead of next year’s polls.
In a statement yesterday in Abuja, Nabena said there was a need for genuine reconciliation among the APC leaders and stakeholders, especially in Gombe, Kwara, Kogi, Kano, and Ogun states, without further delay.
The erstwhile Deputy National Publicity Secretary urged party members in Osun State and other parts of the Southwest not to be demoralised by the outcome of the election.
“The Osun State governorship election has come and gone, but we must learn our lesson by ensuring that we do the needful by reconciling our members across board. We must embark on genuine reconciliation across board and drop every toga of arrogance as we prepare for the 2023 general election.
“In party politics, everyone matters. You must carry everyone along. This is my advice to the APC presidential candidate to caution his men who are already thinking of installing leaders across the states with full assurance that Asiwaju Tinubu will be the next President and they will be in charge of party structures across the states. This must be addressed quickly,” he said.
Nabena said the era of arrogantly taking people for granted and thinking a politician would still win an election through certain means was far over.
The former Deputy National Publicity Secretary stressed that all APC leaders must respect each other and ensure a united party ahead of the 2023 general election.
“They must also stop seeing all those who contested primary elections with them as enemies. There must always be a winner in a contest, and that is why it is a democracy. So, this arrogance of power cannot do APC any good,” he added.