PDP Break Up: ‘I’m Happy And Sad At The Same Time’, Says Atiku

Atiku AbubakarFormer Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who led the splinter group that gave birth to a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP yesterday in Abuja, has expressed mixed emotions at the development.

The former VP had staged a walk-out from the special mini-convention of the PDP at Eagle Square, Abuja on Saturday owing to disqualification of candidates perceived to be Anti-President Goodluck Jonathan.

No fewer than seven governors – Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Babangida Aliyu (Niger) and Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara) – soon joined the walk-out as they left for the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre where they announced the sack of the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led PDP, which they accused of opposing freedom of association, abuse of the party’s constitution, acts of exclusion, arbitrary suspension of party members and gross violation of democratic principles.

In his speech at the Yar’Adua Centre, Atiku expressed regrets that the PDP that was formed in 1998 with the noble intention of providing good leadership for the nation was today in a mess.

He said “I should say I’m happy and at the same time sad today. I’m happy because with what we are doing today we would rescue the party and bring it back to its glorious days. I’m sad because the party that was formed with noble intention by its founding members in 1998 was hijacked by few people who have no understanding of politics. With what we are doing today there must a change, we must rescue the party.”