Return to PDP, Atiku tells defected ex-leaders

FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday, stormed the national secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), calling on all former leaders of the party who had defected to return to their home.

Speaking while addressing the national leadership and members of the party, he affirmed that the PDP was the only political party in the country.

Atiku who said he was at the party secretariat on a courtesy call, hoped that the party has learned its lessons and would be guided by them going forward.

The former Nigeria’s number two citizen paid tribute the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the party for their effort to revive and rebrand the party, assuring that the PDP would return to power in 2019.

Atiku pledged his support and cooperation to the leadership in their effort to move the party forward.

He said: “All that I have come to do today is to come and show my face. Many people have read in the media that I have returned home. This is home.

“Mr Chairman, I want to congratulate you for a wonderful work which you have been doing to redeem the image of this party, to return it, rebrand it and return it to its original form.

“I want to assure you of my support and cooperation at all times, to make sure that these objectives are achieved by you and subsequently by your successors.

“We should remember that those of us, who founded this party, founded it on the principles of democracy, good governance, and unity of this country and the prosperity of its people.

“Over the years, like any or every human organisation, it has faced its challenges but I want to pay tribute to those who have stayed steadfast through thick and thin to see us through to this point.

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“Now that we have learned our lessons, I hope that we will be guided by the lessons we have learned. And that is to make sure that we build an all-inclusive party, where every part of this country will have a sense of belonging and sense of participation.

“To achieve all these, there must be sacrifices, understanding, and compromises in the process of achieving that. And that is what I speak to members to imbibe.

“But as you know, one thing that I will never compromise is the internal democracy process in a given political party. And I hope we all must have learned our lessons.

“I, therefore, want to pledge to you Mr Chairman and members of the National Working Committee that my returning home is to help continue with the work you have started, reforming, re-branding this very party which is the only party in this country.

“Let me pay tribute to past leaders of this great party; wherever they may be and to call upon them to please return home as I have done.

“It is only by their returning home that we will build a stronger, more united party that can again return to government and continue to deliver the dividends of democracy.

“I can bet you the records we have achieved so far in governance no government has yet even done 50 percent of what we have achieved in government, not to talk of equalling our performance in government.”

In his remark, Makarfi regretted the attacks directed at the leading opposition which he said have not succeeded in destabilising it.

He observed that Atiku has opened the floodgates of potential returnees and new members to the party.

Makarfi stated: “Even this week we recorded two massive legal victories another attack against this that are hell-bent on destabilizing this party and holding this party down. So it has not been easy.

“Guerrilla warfare, artillery attacks, bombardments but we weathered the storm. And the story will be a positive one by the end of the day.

“Your Excellency, you have opened the floodgates and we expect many more high profile returnees and new entrants into the PDP.

“So, PDP must be prepared for this, and be ready to reconcile and reiterate in such a way and manner that everybody will be treated and given a level playing field to pursue his or her personal aspiration. That is what PDP must stand for if it has to survive.”

The party boss reiterated that there was no secret deal with the Atiku for him to return to the party, saying: “Waziri of Adamawa is not one that goes for secret deals.”

He assured that they did PDP would be a reformed party that would give everybody level playing field.

He told Atiku: “You have returned in good time and you should continue to contribute in this reinvention, remodelling of our party so that come 2019, we can reclaim what we can claim is ours.  Because we still remain the only true Democratic Party in the true sense of the word.

“We thank you for coming before the convention so that you can contribute to what we have started going forward. We will continue to consult you.

“You will also help us reinvent the vehicle that will take us to Aso rock in 2019. We are not just targeting Aso Rock, we are targeting the federal legislature, the state, both the executive and legislature, and we are targeting the local governments.

“We want to sweep elections all across the party. As a united party, we have the capacity and we have the ability to do so.”

The former Vice President had made what looks like a triumphant return to the Wadata Plaza Abuja national secretariat of the party with pomp and pageantry.

He drove into the premises at about 11.55am and had a tough time navigating his way through a human barricade erected by his supporters.

When he alighted from his black Mercedes Benz at the entrance of the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC), Hall, he waved continuously to acknowledge cheers from his supporters and other party faithful who had waited to receive him.

He subsequently went upstairs to the office of the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee (NCC), of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, for a meeting before returning to NEC Hall for the courtesy call.