Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) cannot hold an ordinary convention because it lacks internal democracy.
The Governor also lambasted critics of his projects describing them as paper tigers, who had no facts about his urban renewal programme.
Wike spoke during the inauguration of Orogbum Crescent (road) project in the New Government Reserved Area (GRA) Phase II, in Port Harcourt Local Government Area on Monday.
On the APC crisis, the Governor said the party’s lack of respect for internal democracy had made it difficult to organise a mere national convention.
Wike said the affairs of the APC were being decided by one man, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari was ordering the party around.
He said: “There is no internal democracy in APC. It is only one man who decides. Mr. President travelled to Kenya, came back on Saturday and ordered that this and that should happen and travelled again yesterday (Sunday).
“No internal democracy because they are not formed to practice democracy. They were only formed to see that they take over power and now they cannot manage it.”
The Governor said he was happy to be a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing his party as the hope for Nigerians in 2023.
“APC has failed. Look at their crisis. It is just ordinary convention that is a problem. Ordinary convention that didn’t take us time as opposition party.
“Yet you see what is happening and that’s the kind of people you want to put your hope, faith on. It can’t be possible,” he said.
Replying to critics of his projects, the Governor said his administration had consistently executed developmental projects to advance the state, particularly restoring the Garden City status of the state capital, Port Harcourt.
He challenged his critics to go beyond spreading misinformation in newspapers and walk the streets of Port Harcourt to see the deliberate implementation of his urban renewal programme.