Peoples Democratic Party presidential aspirant and former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday in Kaduna said the party committed a serious blunder by dragging former President Olusegun Obasanjo from prison to lead the country in 1999.
Abubakar stated that Obasanjo was never willing to contest the 1999 presidential election on the platform of the PDP, but was forced by the party to enter the race. He, therefore, advised the party to learn from its experience with Obasanjo, by refraining from dragging unwilling members into the 2011 presidential contest.
The former vice-president spoke when he paid a visit to the Majority Leader of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Bashir Aliu, as part of the activities marking the inauguration of his North-West zonal office in Kaduna.
Abubakar said, “My former boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, was somebody who came out of prison and was not ready to be president. We dragged him to be president from his Ota farm and you can see how Nigeria has ended after his tenure.
“The Peoples Democratic Party was founded on the basis of democratic norms, because we wanted to establish a very strong and big political party; so that we can mobilise the people of this country to ensure that there will be no more military meddling in political affairs.”
Responding, Aliu, who is also the chairman of the PDP caucus in house of assembly, described Abubakar as “the greatest contributor to the PDP and the most experienced person qualified to be president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from his action as a democrat and as a pillar of democracy in Nigeria.”
Earlier, during his courtesy visit to Kaduna State Governor Ibrahim Yakowa, the former vice-president said he had regarded Kaduna as his second home since 1982. He congratulated Yakowa on his assumption of office and expressed belief in his ability to govern the state well.
Yakowa, in his response, said, “On behalf of the government and good people of Kaduna State, I warmly welcome you to Kaduna State. I wish you a successful opening of your campaign office in Kaduna.”
Source:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201010158125010
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