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As group vows to restore PDP to winning ways
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
Former Minister of Women Affairs and erstwhile National Woman Leader of the PDP, Hajia Maryam Inna Ciroma has carpeted the nation’s political parties, including the PDP, accusing them of putting their selfish interests over and above that of the parties.
Hajia Ciroma specifically lamented that the basis for the formation of PDP has crashed because when the party was formed, it was primarily centred round democracy, stressing however that the reverse is now the case.
The former Minister of Women Affairs spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at a press conference and Diaspora Grassroots Engagement Parley organized by the Directorate of Diaspora And Foreign Missions of PDP Rescue Mission International.
The former National Woman Leader of the PDP equally accused the elites, particularly leaders of the party, of putting their selfish interests over and above those of the patties,thus destroying the fabrics of the parties.
She nonetheless tasked Nigerians, especially the elites, to stand up and look at this issue of democracy in Nigeria, once again.
In the words of Hajia Ciroma, “The basis for the formation of PDP has crashed because when the PDP was formed, it was it was called Peoples Democratic Party. The people that started the party were very passionate about democracy. “They stood and fought the military to ensure that Nigeria returns to democracy.
“Unfortunately, as it is now, there is no democracy, not even in Nigeria as a whole. All our political parties are not democratic.
” So, Nigerians especially the elites will have to stand up and look at this issue of democracy in Nigeria. You can see that in some countries they hold democracy seriously as if it is their religion. Go to America, as far as they are concern, democracy is Number one. But here in Nigeria we have thrown democracy away.
“We are not talking of fairness, we are not talking of justice. Our party, when it was formed, it was with the belief that Nigeria needs a united a party. That’s why our symbol is umbrella. People’s interest have overtaken the interest of the party and the interest of Nigeria.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Director-General of the PDP Rescue Mission International, Comrade Vic-Morrow Ulo explained that the mission of his group is to reform, rebuild and return PDP to its winning ways by ensuring that in the eyes of its members and public, “PDP is seen as a rules based political party, distinctively different from others and fully aligned to the provisions of her constitution and that of the country”.
According to Vic-Morrow Ulo, “The PDP Rescue Mission International has an approach which is driven by a redemptive and transformative agenda and focused on getting PDP transformed into a strong rules based political party, which is equally answerable to the yearnings of Nigerians
“If there is anything we must be mindful about, it is the fact that the younger generation has lost confidence in the PDP of today”, he declared.
