A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress in Delta, Tonye Timi, has advised the party’s leadership to unite and build the party in 2025, or it will perish.

Mr Timi, a former lawmaker representing the Patani constituency in the Delta House of Assembly, gave the advice in an interview on Thursday.

He said it was clear now that as 2025 unfolds, electoral success would not be achieved through wishful thinking.

The politician noted that “the proverbial Godot” will not arrive to fix our political system.

“Instead, the responsibility falls on individuals and parties to organise, strategise, and act. This realisation is especially urgent for the Delta chapter of the APC, a party in opposition that seems lost in chaos, acrimony, and disunity,” he said.

Mr Timi said there was a need to focus on strategic planning to challenge the well-entrenched Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state instead of the infighting among APC leaders in Delta.

He observed that this internal dysfunction betrayed a lack of understanding of the essential principles that define political parties’ purpose, functions and roles.

Mr Timi also said that political parties were vital to democracy as they provided platforms for candidates, articulated policies and streamlined decision-making.

“Without a unified pursuit of power, a political party becomes hollow, losing its essence and influence because it is an organised entity that seeks to gain and wield political power through elections.

“Members of a party are united by shared goals and ideologies, working collectively to influence governance and policy.

“It is unlike pressure groups that advocate for specific causes. Political parties aim for comprehensive control of the government,” added Mr Timi.

(NAN)