• Says no room for one party state
From Taiwo Amodu, Abuja
Former Minister of Finance and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Ciroma yesterday passed a damning verdict on the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, (APC).
Speaking when members of the PDP Board of Trustees, (BoT) led by Senator Walid Jubrin paid him a courtesy visit, the former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) expressed concern that the APC has not learnt any lesson from the mistakes of the erstwhile ruling party.
He said a year after the APC took over the lleadership of the nation, Nigerians were yet to be convinced of its diligence to promote their interest.
“Politics will aways be there. There must be people, good and bad, who participate in it. Everybody who participates in politics is for a good cause and that good cause is the interest and political stability of all Nigerians.
“There will not be one party, there will always be more than one political party. I insist that people must play the rightful role in politics and that role is to promote the interest of the poor masses. “Anybody can make a mistake. The beauty of it is that every party that has a chance to rule has the chance to make mistakes.
“Just before the last elections, and when we saw the trend of events, I warned members of the PDP to prepare itself for whatever eventuality that may come. PDP lost.
“Today, PDP didn’t lose and APC didn’t win because when you talk of politics, people talk about PDP as if APC does not exist. So far, APC is not playing the right role.
“APC will make a lot of mistakes and PDP must be ready to put things right, and all of you must be ready to contribute, participate and get involved for the interests of ordinary Nigerians.”
Chairman of the BoT and leader of the delegation, Senator Jubrin said the visit was to seek Alhaji Ciroma’s support ahead of the forthcoming national convention of the party and his intervention towards resolving the leadership tussle rocking it.
“We are visiting recognised leaders and fathers on the way forward for the party. We want to seek your advice for the party and how to improve the BoT. We promised you that we would remain the conscience of the party.”
Former Deputy Senate President, Adolphus Wabara pleaded with the former finance minister not to abandon the main opposition party.
“We need you to guide us to 2019. You will be celebrated and you will be remembered. We need your forgiveness.”
Former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana also appealed to Alhaji Ciroma to intervene in the leadership crisis facing the party.
“We know you as a man who cherished the principles of accountability, fairness and justice.
“ We thank you for those values, because you have always stood by us..
“We are here today, because we value you, honour and cherish those consistent advise you always give us.
“Today, there is crisis in PDP and we know that if you call those involved to come to this house, they will honour your invitation.”