{"id":22247,"date":"2014-02-02T21:37:59","date_gmt":"2014-02-02T20:37:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=22247"},"modified":"2014-02-02T21:37:59","modified_gmt":"2014-02-02T20:37:59","slug":"why-i-joined-apc-by-atiku","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/why-i-joined-apc-by-atiku\/","title":{"rendered":"Why I joined APC, by Atiku"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"messagecontent\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<div>\n<div id=\"messagebody\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\n<p align=\"center\"><i><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Press Statement by Atiku Abubakar, GCON, Turaki Adamawa and former Vice President, Federal Republic\u00a0<\/span><a name=\"_GoBack\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of Nigeria on his Resignation from the PDP and his Joining the APC<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In 2006, as a result of my firm stand in defence of our constitution and our democracy, my supporters and I were pushed out of our party, the Peoples Democratic Party, a party that we worked tirelessly with other compatriots to build as a vehicle to restore democracy to our country.\u00a0\u00a0We later returned to that party in 2009 when a new leadership of the party and the country promised a new direction, a direction of inclusiveness, of internal democracy, of an end to impunity, adherence to the rule of law and respect for the dignity of members and Nigerians.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Sadly, however, those promises have not been kept.\u00a0\u00a0In addition, the PDP continues to be beset with many crises, mostly leadership-induced crises.\u00a0\u00a0It has since lost touch with Nigerians and efforts made by many well-meaning members and stakeholders to bring it back to the vision of the founders have been rebuffed.\u00a0\u00a0To demonstrate the seriousness of the challenges and bring public attention to it I and some other leaders and stakeholders staged a walkout during the party\u2019s last convention in Abuja.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As I speak, most of the issues that led to that walk-out are yet to be addressed.\u00a0\u00a0Many founding members of the PDP, I included, continue to be marginalized and excluded from the affairs of the party. For instance as a former Vice President, I am by virtue of the PDP constitution, a member of the party\u2019s Board of Trustees and its National Executive Committee.\u00a0\u00a0However, I am not invited to the meetings of those organs nor consulted on their decisions, apparently because I dared to exercise my right to contest in the party\u2019s primary election for a chance to be its flag-bearer in the 2011 elections.\u00a0\u00a0We have, therefore, concluded that that party cannot be redeemed. In short the PDP has abandoned Nigerians, the very people who gave it life and many electoral victories.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">More worrisome though is the danger posed to the continued existence of this country by this culture of impunity and arbitrariness.\u00a0\u00a0We continue to have threats from officially protected political extremists.\u00a0\u00a0Increasingly our people are recklessly being divided along the lines of religion, ethnicity and region for political gains.\u00a0\u00a0Our history and that of many other countries in Africa and Eastern Europe ought to teach us that this is very dangerous and must stop.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">We can and we must do better. Our people deserve better.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is against this background that we should understand the visit by the leaders of the APC and their invitation to me to join hands with them to save the country.\u00a0\u00a0Consequently, I have been consulting my supporters and associates, my family and friends for the past few weeks.\u00a0\u00a0My decision may not satisfy some of my friends and associates.\u00a0\u00a0In the end, however, I have to put the interest of our country first.\u00a0\u00a0This country has done so much for me personally and it deserves all that we can do to help rebuild it and serve our people better.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Following this extensive consultative process, I have, therefore, decided to cast my lot with the APC, a party of change committed to the improvement of the lives of our people and to the continued existence and development of Nigeria as one indivisible country.\u00a0\u00a0My resignation letter as a member of the PDP will be delivered to the party tomorrow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This is the right decision.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As in 2006 it is the struggle for democracy and constitutionalism and service to my country and my people that are driving my choice and my decision.\u00a0Let me emphasize that this is not about me. We have to have a country before people can aspire to lead it, but as it is today we may be losing this country. That is not acceptable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">I encourage my political associates and friends to register and join the APC once the registration exercise commences, so that together we can change this country for the better.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The process of building a nation, of securing and deepening democracy is indeed difficult.\u00a0\u00a0And it is not a lineal process.\u00a0\u00a0There would be alignment and realignment of political forces. There would be ups and downs and zig-zags, triumphs and challenges.\u00a0\u00a0Amidst all that, patriots must remain focused and do what has to be done to save and build the country and serve our people better.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">That is what I have decided to do. I will do all within my God-given powers to help the APC win elections all over Nigeria and bring true change to our country and its long-suffering people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Thank you and God bless Nigeria.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Atiku Abubakar, GCON<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(Turaki Adamawa)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Former Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.atiku.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">www.atiku.org<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/atiku.org\" target=\"_blank\">www.facebook.com\/atiku.org<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/atiku\" target=\"_blank\">www.twitter.com\/atiku<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Press Statement by Atiku Abubakar, GCON, Turaki Adamawa and former Vice President, Federal Republic\u00a0of Nigeria on his Resignation from the PDP and his Joining the APC In 2006, as a&hellip;<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22214,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22247","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - 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