PDP Appoints Saraki National Leader As PDP NEC, Makarfi Welcome Defectors

PDP also formally welcomed home Senate President Bukola Saraki, Governor of Sokoto Aminu Tambuwal, Samuel Ortom of Benue, former Kano state governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Nigeria’s former High Commissioner to South Africa, Ahmed Ibeto and Sen. Dino Melaye as they attended the party’s  NEC meeting in Abuja.

All the men were former members of the All Progressives Party and also former members of the PDP. They have simply returned home as party’s National Chairman, Uche Secondus, said in his opening speech.

“The bold steps you took to return to the party where you truly belong, is a sacrifice not for yourself but for Nigeria and history will be fair to you,” he said.

Secondus who also described Saraki as the key to “the renewed struggle to free Nigeria”, said: “Today is the beginning of the great journey to freedom, the great journey to free our people and rescue this country from the damage done to it by the APC in the last three years.”

Being the highest office holder in the party at the moment, Mr Saraki will replace his deputy, Senator Ike Ekwerenmadu, who held the position until his defection as well as other top APC members to the PDP.

Meanwhile, the former Caretaker Committee Chairman of the PDP, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi has welcome the defectors.

A statement by Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo on behalf of Makarfi reads:

“Senator Ahmed Makarfi has extended a warm welcome to Sen Bukola Saraki, Govs Samuel Ortom, Abdulfatal Ahmed and Aminu Tambuwal, Deputy Governor of Kano State, Professor Hafiz Abubakar, the Senators, members of the House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly and all others who have returned home to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Sen Ahmed Makarfi has always believed that the Peoples Democratic Party as a family and the largest organic party in Africa is an umbrella wide enough to accommodate and and provide security to all Nigerians, more so at this most difficult time in the our history.

As the former Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sen Ahmed Makarfi fought long and hard to ensure that democracy did not perish in Nigeria. He did so even at risk to his life because he believes that the Peoples Democratic Party is the only party founded on the very basic principles of democracy, justice, equity, fairness and the rule of law.

The Senator has always believed that the rebranded and repositioned PDP offers an opportunity for all who have the will to take it. He fought even harder to create an environment where members could thrive and develop to their God-given potential by laying emphasis on openness, fairness, justice and inclusion.

Sen Makarfi also believes that the 2019 election is the most consequential election of our generation as recent events in our country have indicated; a democracy in peril due to intimidation and harassment of political opponents, impunity in government, insecurity in the land, poverty at a level never witnessed in the country, homelessness and hopelessness as the ruling party shows little or no capacity, nor interest to halt the trend.

This is why the senator is gladdened on the news of the return back to the fold of these our brothers and sisters and the other democrats who decided to move in the right direction.

He congratulates them all and offers a hand of fellowship and cooperation to all of them, to work together, to rescue our country, save our democracy, preserve the legacy of our heroes past, restore our prosperity and secure our security at this crucial period.

Sen Makarfi looks forward to meeting them all, to work together to alter the trajectory of our country for the better, by enthroning a new order where the constitution and rule of law reign supreme and the people matter.

-Mukhtar Zubairu Sirajo