PDP hails Aliyu, Lamido's refusal to decamp to APC

The  Peoples Democratic Party PDP on Tuesday commended the decision of the Gov Babangida A|liyu of Niger State and Sule Lamido of Jigawa State to break away from their colleagues who joined the the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday.

.In  a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh, the party hailed the apparent division within the ranks of G7 governors over the move towards APC .

He said, 'We wish to commend the wise decision of some of the aggrieved Governors to dissociate themselves from the action of some of their colleagues. We assure all Nigerians that the PDP will continue to grow from strength to strength and will definitely emerge stronger from this event.' Though New PDP chairman Kawu Baraje said everybody was agreed on its decision to merge with APC, Governors Sule Lamido of Jigawa and Babangida Aliyu of Niger state insist they remain in PDP.

Metu said 'The attention of the National Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to an announcement by members of the so called New PDP declaring their membership of the All Progressive Congress (APC). We recognize the rights of freedom of association for all Nigerians and declare that it is within the rights of any Nigerian citizen to associate with anybody he/she deems fit.

'By this open declaration today, those individuals have unveiled their true intent which most Nigerians suspected ab initio. They have chosen to abandon a broad based National Platform and embraced a narrow group of ethnic and religious bigots whose main intention is to unleash a state of anarchy on Nigeria.

'We wish to state categorically that the PDP remains unperturbed as we are now rid of detractors and distractions. We urge all our members nationwide to remain focussed and close ranks, now that agents of distraction have finally left our ranks.

'We wish to remind our members that from the rulings of the court there are no factions whatsoever in the PDP. In the eyes of the law, the PDP remains one and an indivisible entity under the leadership of Alh. Dr. Bamanga Tukur, CON. We wish to commend the wise decision of some of the aggrieved Governors to dissociate themselves from the action of some of their colleagues. We assure all Nigerians that the PDP will continue to grow from strength to strength and will definitely emerge stronger from this event.

'We reiterate that the position of the law is very clear that there is no factions whatsoever in the PDP.

'We wish to use this opportunity to remind all PDP members that the peace process initiated by President Goodluck Jonathan is still on course and we wish to thank him for his patience, humility and spirit of accommodation. The meeting between the President and aggrieved members shall hold on Sunday, December 01, 2013.

'Finally, we wish to reassure our teeming members that our doors remain open to address all grievances. We shall however not condone any acts of internal subversion from any quarters.'