PDP NEC MEETING: Saraki, Tambuwal, Ortom, Kwankwaso In Attendance

The newly defected governors and lawmakers from All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday stormed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 81st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

The governor of Sokoto State Aminu Tambuwal, while speaking at the 81st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, said that any attempt to forcefully change the leadership of the National Assembly, will be resisted.

Tambuwal explained that the nation’s Constitution is very clear that members of the Senate and House of Representatives can choose from among themselves their own President of the Senate and Speaker, adding that when he left the APC then nobody complain.

The governor said that the country must not be allowed to drift, adding that it must be retrieved, repositioned and restructured for the benefit of Nigerians.

“When they talk about cross carpeting, I began to wonder when we cross carpeted the other time, did they complain?

“When I hear that some people were trying to break into the chambers of the Senate, to steal the Mace and install a pseudo Senate President, I wondered whether they actually know the rules of our democratic engagement, it is not a gestapo, we are in a democracy and the Constitution of this country is very clear that members of the Senate and House of Representatives can choose from among themselves their own president of the Senate and Speaker.

“It is a conference of members of the two chambers and if the members have confidence of the Senate President, they are free to retain him and so be it with Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

“Nobody should be afraid and we must respect due process and rule of law if we are in a democracy. Nigeria is not a banana republic and we will not take it from anybody. If you try it we will march out our own forces in the country and jam you. We cannot afford to allow anybody, no matter how highly placed to toy with the fate of more than 200 million Nigerian”

The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki said that he offered himself in defence of democracy, adding that his coming back to PDP was made possible by God.

“I offer myself to ensure I continue to play my part, to continue to ensure  that we defend our democratic principles in this country, we provide security and good leadership and good governance for everybody. But that is only possible if we are all United because not any one man or two or three can do it alone.

“It is by the mercy of almighty God that this has happened. So, today, as we thank the almighty God for allowing us to be alive to witness this, for allowing those that are able to be here today, those of my colleges who had a long journey, tough journey, tortuous journey to be here, those on the side of PDP who made it possible for it to happen, it was because of the intervention of the almighty God.

“We will have a day for speeches, we will have a day to say many things but for me, I’m happy to be back to the political party where I started my political journey. For me, I’m back.

“So, I want to appeal to all of us, all of you who are here, to please receive us from the bottom of your hearts not only here but down to our local government and wards, many people who will join. Because what we are learning in the history of politics is that everybody is important, everybody is important in this journey we are embarking on and no sacrifice is too much for us to make to reach that promised land.”

Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom lamented that his journey to APC was not favourable, adding that all that he took with him were destroyed and that he left APC poorer.

“I am happy to be home, the home I actively participated in building, but for obvious reason, I have to undertake a journey. In the journey, I was in travail and all that I took with me were destroyed. I left APC poorer,” he said.

The National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus lamented that the nation has the highest number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in West Africa as people have been displaced from their ancestral homes.

He described President Muhammadu Buhari administration as government of frameup, adding that none of PDP governors is in talk with the presidency as alleged.

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has assured the Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki and others who defected to the party recently that history will be kind to them for identifying with the people.

Speaking the NEC, Secondus told the team of defectors to the party led by the Senate President and three state Governors of Benue, Sokoto and Kwara that the bold steps they took would not be in vain.

“The bold steps you took to return to the party where you truly belong, is a sacrifice not for yourself but for Nigeria and history will be fair to you”

Also speaking, Taraba states governor, Darius Ishaku said that the rate of killings in the state made him cry more than he celebrate, adding, “more 30 persons die because they don’t have AK-47. We must stand up to free this country. Instead of progressing, we are retrogressing. We must change to serve this country better.”

The Board of Trustees Chairman, Jubrin Walid said that the coming of the defectors was the best they have done.

Walid, who was a former lawmaker, appealed to others senators who have not decamped yet to do so and join him in the PDP, so that they work together.

The defectors, who were present at the NEC meeting were, Saraki, Tambuwal, Ortom, Dino Melaye, Ahmed Ibeto, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Banabas Gemade and others including lawmakers.