*Lamido
By Mohammed Abubakar Dutse
A former governor of Jigawa State Alhaji Sule Lamido has thrown his weight behind the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to de-recognise the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
He said the commission exercised its statutory powers over activities of political parties.
Speaking to reporters at the end of a stakeholders’ consultative meeting of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) meeting in Dutse, the state capital, Lamido took a swipe at the former leaders of the party, who defected to ADC, notably the former Vice president and the 2023 presidential candidate of the party Atiku Abubakar; former Anambra state governor and Labour Party presidential flag bearer in the 2023 election Mr. Peter Obi; former Kano State governor and 2023 presidential flag bearer of the New Nigeria People’s Party, (NNPP) Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as individuals who lacked the leadership temperament to resolve their own internal party crisis and therefore could not be trusted to solve the nation’s problems.
INEC had last week, acting on an Appeal Court judgment on March 12, suspended the recognition of Senator David Mark as the National Chairman and former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola of the National Chairman and National Secretary of ADC, pending the final resolution of the suit of filed by new of the claimant to the national chairmanship position Nafiu Bala Gombe, challenging the legitimacy of David Mark-led leadership.
The elders statesman, who spoke on a wide range of national issues blamed the leaders for creating the problems that INEC latched onto to axe the David Mark-led executive, wondering how they (ADC leaders) would their own party the PDP simply because of the challenges it is was facing and go and hijack another political platform.
According to him, “Get this very clear, under the Nigerian constitution and the law, INEC is the only agency over seeing the activities of political parties so, in whatever you do, bear this this in mind and don’t create the situation that INEC would latch on to”
He said it was morally incorrect for the leaders to have left their own party simply because of the internal challenges to “confiscate’ another platform. You leave PDP, a party that has history, a party with a big foundation and uo to a small thing called ADC which is nobody in Nigeria.
“Fine if you think because ADC is an orphan and you feel you’re strong enough and you want to go and confiscate’ their home, in my view it is very immoral to go to a small boy and confiscate’ his biscuit or his sugarcane or his phone. The question is, is how they want to rule Nigeria?
“To me, it is not just to acquire the leadership of the country, the process of assuming the leadership matters. So, f in the process, you create a crack that INEC would latch on then it is your fault and that is what happened in the case.of the ADC.”
Lamido who defended his endorsement of the recently conducted national convention of the party by the faction led by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike in Abuja said it was in line with his believe in the rule of law, assuring that despite whatever problem the party was experiencing, he would not run away to anywhere.
His words, “The PDP is my only sanctuary as a party man. Yes, there’s a problem I’m my party but if you ask me to go out, I’m in a home you’re asking me to go and find a small house to rent like ADC and NDC, that’s the issue.
“If you’re saying that because my house is leaking and therefore I should to leave it and go to find a small house like ADC and NDC are doing now. Which means they had their own home even though it is inconvenient for them they left their home as they lack the capacity withstand the pressure in their home. They went outside to look for a small house. Now they got the house which is ADC and NDC and they’re being flushed out.”
The former governor confirmed that the party would field candidates in all the elective positions from the state assembly up to the presidency. He also addressed the position of Wike in the leadership equation of the PDP.
According to him, those referring to Wike as the National Leader of the party were entitled to their opinions which he said was in line with democratic practices. According to him, in a democray every is entitled to refer to anyone as as his leader.
He recalled that during his speech at the convention he never referred to Wike as his political leader, neither did the former Senate President Bukola Saraki made similar reference.
News7 days ago