FLASHBACK: Saraki, Kwankwaso… those who might be regretting dumping PDP 3 years ago
It is exactly three years since seven governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) staged a walkout at the party’s special convention ground in Abuja.
The dissidents converged on another venue to constitute a parallel leadership.
Although two of the governors – Babangida Aliyu (Niger) and Sule Lamido (Jigawa) – remained in the party, Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) continued with the struggle and eventually teamed up with the then opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
There is no doubt that their departure contributed to the woeful performance of the PDP in the 2015 general election, with Amaechi particularly embarking on an intense anti-Goodluck Jonathan campaign before going to become director-general of the Muhammadu Buhari campaign organsation.
In any course, there are losers and winners. The story of PDP’s losses from that August 31, 2013 rebellion are well-documented; but for a moment, it’s time to focus on those who might be regretting their exit from the party.
BUKOLA SARAKI
Saraki inside accused box at CCT
Saraki is the first Nigerian senate president to enter the dock over charges bordering on corruption. The last has not been heard of the forgery case brought against him by the federal government.
But he has vowed to fight on till the end, alleging that he is being persecuted by some influential personalities in the party.
Before emerging senate president against the wish of the APC, Saraki might have considered the instance of Aminu Tambuwal, who became speaker of the house of representatives without the support the PDP yet was not publicly humiliated.
Perhaps Saraki’s travails might have made him ask at some point: “Would this have happened to me in my former party?”
RABIU KWANKWASO
Lately, Kwankwaso has been in the news for the wrong reasons. His presidential ambition, which is yet to materalise, might have been his major reason for pulling out of the PDP. But he has managed to end up a senator, representing Kano central at the national assembly. Not entirely a bad showing, huh?
Well, he is facing stiff opposition from the state chapter of the APC, which once threatened to expel him. And just last week, his Kano residence was sealed off by policemen suspected to be acting on the orders of a state government led by someone who was his deputy for eight years. Is there a chance Kwankwaso has missed his former party?
KAWU BARAJE
Baraje led the governors who staged a walkout at the PDP convention, and later became chairman of the New PDP, which was formed ahead of their defection to the APC.
A close associate of Saraki, Baraje has accompanied the number three citizen to the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on all occasions.
In April, he issued a note of warning to leaders of the ruling party, saying the issues that made him leave the PDP had started arising in APC. He said the ruling party had performed below expectation since it took over the reins of government.
ATIKU ABUBAKAR
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is one of the most respected politicians in the country. His interest in the topmost office in the land dates back to 1993 when he attempted to clinch the ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Since then, Atiku has not relented. Prior to the presidential primary of the APC, political observers believed that even if he lost the ticket to Buhari, it would be by a narrow margin. How wrong they were!
Buhari not only trounced the ex-VP, he came a distant third behind Kwakwanso.
To his credit, it must be said, Atiku kept to the agreement of not leaving the party even if he didn’t stop some of his loyalists from publicly endorsing Jonathan a few weeks to the election.
There have also been reports that he as been at loggerheads with a prominent APC chieftain from the south-west over the chairmanship of the party’s board of trustees.
Now that PDP has zoned the 2019 presidential ticket to the north, would Atiku not be reconsidering his ext from his former party?
Atiku Abubakar, In my honest opinion will make a very good President for Nigeria.
He’s experienced, knows hi onions and connect with people irrespective of tribe, religion and region both locally a internationally.
I wish him luck.
The Apc has not treated the nPdp arm of the Apc fairly so I will not blame them for any action they decide to take.
Politics is a game where all team mates must be carried along.
What about the most corrupt politicians? Is Still in the running?
Corruption, is not our issue as a country rather unprepared leaders has destroyed our basis.
If we get our bearing right, the so called corruption will disappear.
Am Afraid, the problem of Nigeria has not been solved. We are all complaininig of corruption only as our economic problem we do not remember that we should compensate whosoever might have worked for us.
We need toknow that if corruption is a crime, ingratitude is a bigger crime. The windfall enjoined from oil boom has permitted corruption or inequality in the distribution of the largess enjoined from the sharing of the income from the black-gold. I have not seen anythging that will warrant ingratitude in Nigeria. Probably, the ingratitude comes out of the inability of the present government that it is those who oppose it that are fanning the embers of disunity in ruling party and happy about it.
Ingratitude is a worse crime than financial impropriety or corruption. This is what so many of us do not know.