The National Secretary of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Oladipupo Olayokun, says his party is not ready to work with the likes of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).
According to him, the NNPP would rather work with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Explaining the position of his party, Olayokun said the NNPP does not believe in opposition.
He added that elections are over, and governance is the current thing now. Hence, the NNPP has a responsibility to Nigerians to ensure the ruling party does not fail.
Speaking during an interview with Punch, the NNPP scribe submitted that his party can’t look on and allow President Bola Tinubu and the APC to make Nigerians suffer, hence the need to work with the ruling party in the remaining years through engagements and constructive criticism in the interest of Nigerians.
Responding to a question on whether his party would be willing to work with the likes of Atiku in the PDP and Peter Obi in the Labour Party if contacted, Olayokun said: “No, the NNPP does not believe in opposition. We believe in what we call constructive partnership. Elections are gone; governance is the in-thing now. To us, any party we are going to work with, even with the APC, because if the APC is failing as they are failing, that is if they have not failed, the brunt is going to be on every Nigerian.
“As a political party, we cannot open our eyes and allow Nigerians to suffer. If the APC and Tinubu fail, then all of us, the political parties fail Nigerians. So, we must cooperate with the government, engage in constructive criticism, and provide alternatives when the need arises in the interest of Nigerians.
Do we allow them to fail and Nigerians will be suffering? You go to the market and see what Nigerians are going through. So, we must cooperate with the government. We (the NNPP) will work with anybody and even the party in government to make sure that at least with the remaining three and half years for them, they don’t subject Nigerians to suffering. We will offer advice; if they like, let them take it. If they like, let them but we will not fold our arms. So, everybody must cooperate with the government in power in the interest of the country.”
