The ruling party has also secured more than a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly due to a wave of defections.
Receiving the award for the Most Outstanding Legislator and Advocate of National Unity, Ndume, an APC chieftain, criticised the quality of defectors flocking to the party.
“I have warned that the APC is becoming overloaded. And when you overload a ship, especially with empty cargo, it risks capsizing. If it capsizes, the owner of the ship will face a bigger problem,” he said.
Ndume said many of the defectors are contributing “nothing” to the ruling party after joining, despite being generously accommodated.
“Some governors join and automatically become leaders of the party in their states, yet they remain silent and add no value. The PDP is struggling to play the opposition role, but we in the APC are not persuading anyone to join. They come because their house is on fire,” he added.
Ndume, however, faulted the trend where defectors are immediately elevated to leadership positions in their new political base.
“It’s like leaving one church for another and wanting to become the pastor in charge, or converting to Islam and insisting on becoming an Imam. Naturally, this creates confusion,” he added.
While acknowledging the president’s “sincerity”, took a swipe at several ministers and key presidential aides, saying they lack the necessary capacity to deliver on their mandates.
“The government is overloaded with kakistocrats and kleptocrats, and they must be removed for progress to be made,” he insisted.
Earlier, the wife of Nigeria’s first president, Dame Uche Azikiwe, praised organisers of the lecture for preserving the legacy of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe.
She called on contemporary public office holders to emulate the selfless services and patriotic commitments of First Republic leaders.
