BREAKING:Tragedy hits PDP's camp as former vice president Atiku Abubakar decamps to APC...

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has announced his resignation from the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP and joined the All Progressive Congress, APC.
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by by Alhaji Abubakar, he said his decision
followed extensive consultative process political associates and supporters.
His letter of resignation as a member of PDP will be submitted to the party on Monday.
He said he opted for the APC which according to him is 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.
” This is the right decision. As 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. Let 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.
” 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, ” Atiku stated.
Full text of the letter reads :
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. We 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.
Sadly, however, those promises have not been kept. In addition, the PDP continues to
be beset with many crises, mostly leadership-induced crises. It 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. To 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’s last convention in Abuja.
As I speak, most of the issues that led to that walk-out are yet to be addressed. Many
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’s Board of Trustees and its National Executive
Committee. However, 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’s
primary election for a chance to be its flag-bearer in the 2011 elections. We 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.
More worrisome though is the danger posed to the continued existence of this country
by this culture of impunity and arbitrariness. We continue to have threats from officially
protected political extremists. Increasingly our people are recklessly being divided along
the lines of religion, ethnicity and region for political gains. Our history and that of many
other countries in Africa and Eastern Europe ought to teach us that this is very dangerous
and must stop.
We can and we must do better. Our people deserve better.
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.
Consequently, I have been consulting my supporters and associates, my family and
friends for the past few weeks. My decision may not satisfy some of my friends and
associates. In the end, however, I have to put the interest of our country first. This
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.
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. My resignation letter as a member of the PDP will be delivered to the party
tomorrow.
This is the right decision. As 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. Let 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.
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.
The process of building a nation, of securing and deepening democracy is indeed difficult.
And it is not a lineal process. There would be alignment and realignment of political
forces. There would be ups and downs and zig-zags, triumphs and challenges. Amidst all
that, patriots must remain focused and do what has to be done to save and build the
country and serve our people better.
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.
Thank you and God bless Nigeria.
Atiku Abubakar, GCON