Obasanjo’s Exit, Big LossTo PDP – Kwankwaso

Date: 24-02-2015 6:37 am (9 years ago) | Author: Mister Jay Wonder
- at 24-02-2015 06:37 AM (9 years ago)
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Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso said at the weekend that the exit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a big loss to the ruling party.

This is even as President Goodluck Jonathan is pleading with aggrieved faithful to return to the party.

The governor made remarks during an interactive session with some journalists in his office late Sunday night. He criticised his Jigawa State counterpart, Sule Lamido for carpeting the five PDP governors who defected to the opposition All Progressives Congresss (APC) last year.

On Obasanjo’s quiting the PDP, Kwankwaso said those who are attacking the former president on his decision are themselves,” bad riddance.”

He said: “I think they said the same thing when we left the PDP, but I can tell you that every right thinking person in this country, especially in the PDP, now know that for the five of us to leave that party, it was a big loss.

“I think they very much underestimated our importance in the party and probably now, unfortunately for them, they are coming to terms with the realities.

“And I can say the same, or even more, with our leader, President Obasanjo. His exit from the PDP was another huge blow to that party for many obvious reasons. Obasanjo has supporters not only in his home state, Ogun, not only in the South-West, but across the country,”
he noted.

“Those who have worked closely with him (Obasanjo) know that he is somebody who always tolerate a lot of things. I did not see him to have just decided to leave the PDP. But I can comfortably say that so much must have happened in the party for him to come out to tear his membership card,” Kwankwaso said.

He regretted that some of the party leaders, who made the same mistake during their exit are about making the same mistake in their handling of the exit of Chief Obasanjo, hoping their poor handling of the exit does not create more problems for the party and the nation.

Kwankwaso expressed happiness that the PDP is having serious challenges today. He said: “Those days, when we were telling them to correct a few things, many of them were telling us that whether we stay or leave, it does not matter to PDP. Now, they have realised that of course, there are some challenges.”

On a recent interview, when Lamido condemned the five governors that defected to the APC without resigning their positions, Kwankwaso said, “well, I don’t want to talk too much about the Governor of Jigawa State. Everybody knows that he was part of us. He worked so hard. In fact, he was the leader of the group. He took us to the level that we felt there was no going back. We were surprised that he had different things in mind. He stayed in PDP and we felt we had no business being in PDP.

“Now, I think if there is anybody who should criticize us, I believe it should not come from him or the Governor of Niger State (Dr Babangida Aliyu). I don’t want to join issues with any of my colleagues.

“Nigerians are the best judges of our utterances and actions in those days and of course, what we have done. And I believe that judgment would be part of what would happen during the next election.”

“I believe we have done the right thing, (by defecting). We have improved democracy and PDP is no more the monster it used to be where nobody was important, where people were not respected, not even the governor of the most populous state who won election almost singlehandedly” he said.

Kwankwaso, who also attacked the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, for his position on General Muhammadu Buhari’s health, said since the December 10 when the APC finished its presidential primary elections, the General has been involved in rigorous campaigns and rallies from state to state.

He noted that for him, his ability to pass through the rigors of the campaigns and rallies  is an indication that he is fit and healthy to cope with the challenges of the leadership of the country.

He recalled that General Buhari was in Kano for a rally and yet proceeded to Jigawa by flight only to return to Kano later same night by road.

He said that those who are accusing the General of poor health could not have been right as a sick man could not undergo all these stressful campaigns, without collapsing to the pressure.

Meanwhile, President Jonathan has pleaded with aggrieved PDP members in the  House of Representatives to forgive the party and work for his re-election.

The President who made the appeal during a meeting with  the aggrieved lawmakers, promised them that though they lost out in the bid to clinch the tickets of PDP, they will be accommodated by his government if he wins the March 28 election.

A PDP lawmaker at the meeting, who opted for anonymity, said the lawmakers expressed their disappointment for being denied tickets by their governors and some party chieftains.

He  said, “the lawmakers bared their minds to the President, telling him how the PDP secretariat virtually sold tickets to the highest bidders.

“A particular lawmaker from the South-South who, wanted to become a governor, narrated how he was swindled of N1billion by some PDP stalwarts at the secretariat.”

The lawmakers told the President that PDP national officers connived with governors to undermine the established internal democracy of the party, complaining that because of this development, no true primaries were held in virtually all the states.  They said this led to the emergence of political paper weights, stooges who ordinarily cannot win ward elections in their respective areas.

According to a source, the President, “promised to work with them and compensate those that were wrongly replaced or denied tickets.

“He also appealed that members should save the party from being disgraced at the polls”.













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Posted: at 24-02-2015 06:37 AM (9 years ago) | Addicted Hero
- Ken1230 at 24-02-2015 07:21 AM (9 years ago)
(m)
Can you imagine N1 Billion to become Governor? So who is going to pay him back? Funny country with bad leaders
Posted: at 24-02-2015 07:21 AM (9 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Reply
- DJSNIPPER at 24-02-2015 08:00 AM (9 years ago)
(m)
well, GEJ remains victorious against evils like these old men and will continue to be victorious in delivering us from the grip of these wicked, old men like obj, tinubu, buhari etc, No responsible elder statesman will act in the manner OBJ is acting. He's only trying to use the situation to gain attention & play Hero. This is the end of God-father,dictatorship,corrupt minded,old thinking and manipulation and a begining of inovation,transparency,tranquility,right thinking and good governace as PDP goes on!!#Gej42015
Posted: at 24-02-2015 08:00 AM (9 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Reply