Defecting Senate President Bukola Saraki and two governors – Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Samuel Ortom (Benue)- attended yesterday’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
There were also Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and Senator Barnabas Gemade, who returned to the PDP last week. Saraki attributed events of the past week to the “mercy of God”, saying that it was beyond human wisdom. He said: “Anybody that believed this could happen based on the wisdom of just human beings does not know or is not being realistic. It is by the mercy of Almighty God that this has happened. “So, today, as we thank the Almighty God for allowing us to be alive to witness this, for allowing those that are able to be here today, those of my colleagues who had a long journey, tough journey, tortuous journey to be here, those on the side of PDP who made it possible for it to happen, it was because of the intervention of the Almighty God.
“I am happy to see some of my colleagues here who have given me faith in this country, who have made me believe there are still men of character, that there are still men who are still ready to make sacrifices for this country.” Saraki went on: “This sacrifice that we are all making, is just the first part because we are doing this for Nigerians and that exercise will not be complete until we make a better country for our people.” PDP National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus assured Saraki and others who defected to the party recently that their efforts would not be in vain.
Describing Saraki as key in the renewed struggle to “free” Nigeria, Secondus praised the defectors, saying history would be fair to them. Said he: “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. “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”.
The party chairman expressed regrets that agencies of government established to protect the people had been deployed by the government to assault institutions of democracy. Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku said: “It’s time Nigeria is freed or move 100 years backward. Defectors to the PDP saw tomorrow and they decided to change the situation. “Some of us wake up crying every other day because you see pictures of your people being killed in their homes because they don’t have AK-47 rifles. I cry more than I celebrate.
“We must change this government because, with the defectors, the PDP will do better for Nigerians. Corruption is not about stealing money alone. Killings, nepotism and allowing killers to go free are also corruption.” Ortom said he left the APC worse than he joined the party in 2014, stressing that he lost everything he brought into the APC. In a statement from his office, Saraki urged members of the PDP to work together in defence of democracy.
“Therefore, I want to make an appeal on behalf of all of us — when we get back to our constituencies, please, let us continue to open our arms and receive the people who have the numbers that will give us victory come February 2019. This is because we are all here to work towards a better and greater tomorrow on behalf of all Nigerians.” Saraki thanked the party under the leadership of Secondus, National Chairman and Senator Walid Jibrin, the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, for welcoming him, his state’s Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed; Ortom and Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, back to the party.
The Nation
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