Politicians and political leaders, groups and group leaders, stakeholders
\nin the development of our state and our nation, fellow indigenes of Sokoto
\nState and citizens of our great country, members of the press, ladies and
\ngentlemen. It is with gratitude to Almighty Allah, our Sustainer that I
\naddress you on a matter of great importance to our nation at this
\nauspicious moment in our political history.<\/p>\n
I stand before you with a heavy heart, wishing I had cheery words of
\nprogress, instead of the sad report that I am constrained to give you on
\nthe situation of our dear nation.<\/p>\n
2.The struggle for democracy is one that began with our fight for
\nindependence as a sovereign nation. To this end, the blood, freedom and
\nother liberties of our past heroes and contemporary veterans were
\nsacrificed. The current dispensation began in 1999, as the watershed of
\nour toil, which granted to us a democratic system that is striving to
\nevolve and survive.<\/p>\n
3.Through those years the forces of genuine change gravitated and by 2015,
\nmerged to ensure a transition of power that Nigerians hoped would herald a
\nnew order of true democracy under an atmosphere of justice, peace, equity
\nand the rule of law. The leaders of that coalition represented and
\nsymbolized the aspiration of Nigerians for progress and prosperity under
\none united, indivisible nation.<\/p>\n
4.As the speaker of the House of Representatives then, I left my comfort
\nzone to be involved in the struggle for the enthronement of purposeful
\nleadership for the citizens of our dear country.<\/p>\n
6.Now, almost four years into what ought to be a new order as desired and
\nelected by Nigerians, the nation is unfortunately going through the most
\ndifficult and precarious times, since the Civil war; with ethno, religious
\nand regional distrust at its highest ebb.<\/p>\n
7.This development had often been blamed on political opponents.
\nMeanwhile, there are issues of brazen inequity and capacity and
\nquestionable distribution of appointments\/projects. This is in addition to
\nlack of statesmanship in responding to national issues, among other things
\nthat are far aggravating the anomaly.<\/p>\n
8.In line with the best traditions in any major political decision,
\nespecially by a serving elected Governor, I have painstakingly consulted
\nfar and wide, on whether the present political platform is a viable
\nvehicle for achieving the aspiration of our people.<\/p>\n
9.It is because I am convinced that no nation can thrive while there is
\ninequity and bad governance; because I am saddened by the fact that
\nlethargy, incompetence and sustained denial of obvious leadership missteps
\nhave become the major raw materials with which the Nigerian State is being
\nrun today; because I am unwilling to be part of frightful conspiracy
\nagainst the cohesion of the Nigerian State, Nigeria youths and peoples;
\nbecause I am unable to feel at ease in the face of a progressively divided
\nnation and, above all, because I am totally unable to reconcile myself to
\na national leadership that offers no redeeming moral beacons that I am
\nhere with you today; to announce withdrawal of\u00a0 my membership of the All
\nProgressives Congress\u00a0 and return to the People\u2019s Democratic Party.<\/p>\n
10.I speak to you today with a mixture of sadness and relief because I did
\nnot expect that the APC, which promised so much when the People\u2019s
\nDemocratic party (PDP) stood under the sway of impunity, could not
\nmaintain or manage whatever good it inherited. It has also not broken new
\ngrounds in any positive sense, but has instead reached historically
\nunprecedented heights of impunity in all manner of vices far above and
\nbeyond the challenges which made some of us to leave the PDP about four
\nyears ago to join others to form the APC. The party has brazenly turned
\nitself into a sanctuary for the corrupt and a machine for rigging and for
\nthe rape of democracy.<\/p>\n
11.Let me also put it on record that all attempts to discuss the electoral
\npromises of the APC-led government, including the restructuring of the
\ncountry as promised Nigerians and as contained in the APC manifesto, have
\nproved abortive.<\/p>\n
12.Beyond that, I cannot look those who elected me their Governor here in
\nSokoto State in the face and boldly point to any meaningful Federal
\nProjects initiated in the state under the APC government. Even the bulk of
\nuncompleted Federal Projects here that were inherited from the previous
\nadministration have largely remained in their state of neglect. Sokoto
\nState is also not being meaningfully carried along in political
\nappointments and in other matters of national importance.<\/p>\n
13.\u00a0 Like most states of the North, and indeed the entire federation,
\nelders and traditional institutions have come under measured disrespect.
\nThe recent attack in Tabinnii in Rabah LGA of Sokoto State, the routine
\ninvasion of Zamfara State by armed bandits, the now-regular killing of
\npolicemen by unknown gun men all over the country, the regular massacre of
\ninnocent people in the North East axis and many similar daily incidents,
\ndo not attract much attention any more.<\/p>\n
14.Good governance, viz-a-viz economic wellbeing of our people, remain the
\nmajor reason for my action of today. Information from National Bureau of
\nStatistics (NBS) shows that over nine million jobs have been lost in the
\nlast 3 years, since the APC Government came into office. While youth
\nunemployment rate was 11.70 per cent during the fourth quarter of 2014, it
\nrose to 33.10 per cent in third quarter of 2017 under the APC Government.
\nThe economy is not showing any real signs of improvement. Our educational
\nand health institutions are in retreat. Poverty is on rampage and still
\nravages the land. It is unacceptable that majority of those who voted for
\nAPC in 2015 should have nothing good to show for it.<\/p>\n
15.As in the past, it is only my interest in equity, the wellbeing of
\nNigerians and a befitting future for our teeming youths, national unity
\nand economic prosperity that has led to my new locus in Nigerian politics
\ntoday. We all have a duty to do our best, while nudging our political
\nparties to progressively align political contests in Nigeria along clear
\nideological lines; such that sooner rather than later the aspirations and
\nthe will of our people will be the only determinant of election outcomes.<\/p>\n
16.Let me at this juncture state emphatically that I return to the PDP
\nwith a clear conscience today, because the party has learnt some bitter
\nlessons and noted what mistakes it must avoid in the future. It is now a
\nrepositioned and forward looking political party to which I now pledge
\nloyalty, in my resolve to contribute towards improving the lives of
\nNigerians and expanding opportunities for the youths. It is only by
\nworking together as agents of development that we can promote excellence,
\ncompetence, good governance and enthronement of genuine democracy to save
\nNigeria.<\/p>\n
17.I thank you for your understanding, support, prayers and your continued
\nfaith in the Nigerian Project. May Almighty Allah guide and protect us.
\nSigned<\/p>\n
Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal,
\nGovernor of Sokoto state.<\/p>\n
Politicians and political leaders, groups and group leaders, stakeholders in the development of our state and our nation, fellow indigenes of Sokoto State and citizens of our great country, members…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":62918,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n