A former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Sunday announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party.
Abubakar said his resignation letter would be delivered to the PDP on Monday (today).
He also said, in a statement he personally signed, that he was joining the opposition political party, the All Progressives Congress.
The statement came after the nationwide consultation that the former Vice-President embarked on in the last few weeks.
The consultation was as a result of the visit of the APC leaders to his Abuja residence on December 18, 2013. The APC leaders had asked him to ditch the ruling party.
In the statement, Abubakar listed some of the grievances he had against the PDP to include the refusal of the leadership of the party to listen to his numerous complaints.
For example, he said that in 2006, he and his supporters were pushed out of the PDP, a party they worked tirelessly with other compatriots to build as a vehicle for restoring democracy to our country.
But he said they later returned to the PDP in 2009 when a new leadership of the party promised a new direction.
Abubakar, however, regretted that this was not done.
Abubakar said, “Sadly, however, those promises have not been kept. In addition, the PDP continues to be beset with many crises, mostly leadership-induced crises.
“We have, therefore, concluded that that party (PDP) cannot be redeemed. In short the PDP has abandoned Nigerians, the very people who gave it life and many electoral victories.
“It has since lost touch with Nigerians and efforts made by many well-meaning members and stakeholders to bring it back to the vision of its founders have been rebuffed.
“To demonstrate the seriousness of the challenges and bring public attention to it, I and some other leaders and stakeholders, staged a walkout during the party’s last convention on August 30.”
Those, who joined in the walkout included Governors Aliyu Wamakko(Sokoto); Sule Lamido(Jigawa); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Aliyu Babangida(Niger); Abdulfatai Ahmed(Kwara ); Murtala Nyako(Adamawa) and Rabiu Kwakwanso(Kano).
The seven governors, except Aliyu and Lamido, have joined the APC.
In the statement on Sunday, Abubakar said it was also worrisome that PDP’s culture of impunity and arbitrariness posed a great challenge to the continued existence of Nigeria.
He said, “We continue to have threats from officially protected political extremists.
“Increasingly, our people are recklessly being divided along the lines of religion, ethnicity and region for political gains. Our history and that of many other countries in Africa and Eastern Europe ought to teach us that this is very dangerous and must stop.”
Abubakar, who in 2007 dumped the PDP for the defunct Action Congress, said it was against this background that he decided to join the APC.
He added, “I have been consulting my supporters and associates, my family and friends for the past few weeks. My decision may not satisfy some of my friends and associates.
“In the end, however, I have to put the interest of our country first. This country has done so much for me personally and it deserves all that we can do to help rebuild it and serve our people better.
“Following this extensive consultative process, I have, therefore, decided to cast my lot with the APC, a party of change committed to the improvement of the lives of our people and to the continued existence and development of Nigeria as one indivisible country. My resignation letter as a member of the PDP will be delivered to the party tomorrow(today).”
Abubakar defended his decision to join the APC, saying that the struggle for democracy, constitutionalism and service to the country and its people were paramount in his mind.
He encouraged his associates and friends to join the APC “so that together, we can change this country for the better.”
He said he would do all within his God-given powers to help the APC win elections all over Nigeria and bring true change to our country and its long-suffering people.
When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the party was yet to be informed.
He promised that the PDP would react as soon as it was officially informed.
Expectedly, the APC expressed its happiness within the defection, saying that it was apparent that the PDP would feel the absence of the former vice-president.
The Acting Interim National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told our correspondent that Abubakar would be an asset to the opposition party.
He said, “He is welcome into the progressive fold. It is apparent now that the sinking ship of the PDP is gone. Very soon, those managing the affairs of the party would know that they are alone.
“I want to appeal to well-meaning Nigerians to also borrow a leaf from those that have escaped from the sinking ship and move to the APC.”
Meanwhile, the Coalition of Progressive Democrats, has hailed Abubakar’s decision to join the APC.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Sunday, the spokesperson for the CPD,Chief Oladimeji Fabiy, said the former vice-president had “nothing doing is such a dead political party like the PDP.”
Fabiyi, who is also the National Coordinator of Turaki Vanguard, added that the PDP lacked ideas as a party that was prepared to take the nation to the next level.
He said that the new National Chairman of the PDP,Alhaji Adamu Muazu, was not in the position to bring any meaningful change to the troubled party.
Fabiyi said, “Muazu is not going to be the solution to all the crises in the PDP. The PDP is several miles back.”
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