Former Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has said he warned the party earlier in 2013, about the possibility of suffering defeat in the 2015 general election, if its leaders did not mend their ways.
Tukur, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday captioned, “PDP- Were You Not Warned?”, appeared to be telling co-PDP leaders, I have had the last laugh.
He reminded them of a speech he read at the PDP National Executive Committee [NEC] meeting of Thursday, June 20, 2003, which he presided over, as the party’s helmsman.
The former Governor of Defunct Gongola State was edged in the process of resolving the major crisis that hit the party, which led to the formation of a splinter group and eventual defection of five governors to the All Progressives Congress.
Tukur said he had warned his fellow party leaders and members alike, to have a change of attitude if the party must succeed.
“In our efforts to achieve success, we must rededicate our genuine political believes, change our attitudes and identify our political needs. These good values cannot be realized without accepting the supremacy of the party constitution as key instrument that ensures progress, stability and internal discipline”, Tukur said.
He pointed out that he reminded his party members then, that “we must strengthen our democracy through determination, not personalization, correction, not manipulation, collectivism, not individualism and sacrifice, not disservice”.
He added that “if these pronouncements are substantial then, the party should quickly take urgent steps to achieve higher levels, at least by coming to terms with democratic norms and practices”. He advised the party members then to accord President Goodluck Jonathan some measure of respect. “We owe ourselves a duty to protect, project and support our President to leave behind, a lasting legacy for the Nigerian”, he said, reminding them that there were promises made on the PDP journey.
He said also that he pointed out the new direction the party should fellow, before he was forced out of the party by forces that did not want him. “We had told them then that our focus for the future should be about consolidation and continuity and that goes beyond the plans of our opponents that PDP will fail”.
The former chairman also recalled a proposal he made to the party on the way forward to the crisis rocking the party then, which was also ignored by those who didn’t want him.
Then he had talked about the need to “reconcile our disagreement by closing ranks and stimulating greater efficiency in our judgments “, stating that “already mechanisms have been put in place to achieve unity at all levels”.
He also preached that “internal democracy should triumph over the current practice of imposition of candidates during the party congresses thus collectively we sustain the political aspirations of Nigeria”.
He had recommended for a corporate image making consultants “to develop package for annual PDP Merit Award where party members of proven exemplary conduct and achievements will be rewarded.
He also asked that the party “explore methods for improved communications for sustainable relations of the party-executive, the party –legislature and the party community relations, and “enhance the financial position of the party by graduating to e-membership system”, among other issues.
He warned then that the party could not afford to be ran through severe underfunding , arguing that “democracy is a serious business but easily broken, it is a small commodity of exceptional value reserve”.
The former PDP Chairman said he is having the last laugh now as the party’s poor outing in the recently concluded general elections could be rightly attributed to the way his advice was ignored and how he was edged out of office.
