Gov. Sule Lamido Set To Dump PDP
Sule Lamido, Governor of Jigawa state, northwestern Nigeria may soon dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pointblanknews.com investigations reveal.
A source close to the Governor confirmed to our man in Dutse that Lamido was no longer comfortable with his position in the PDP.
Lamido, former Foreign Minister during Chief Olusegun Obasanjo's administration was among the rebel G-seven Governors who embarrassed President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan by staging a walk-out in the last PDP Special Convention at Eagles Square, Abuja.
He was also one of the major financier of the defunct 'New PDP' a platform created by necessity which the G-Seven Governors used to fight the PDP leadership until its collapsed into the All Progressive Congress (APC).
While Rotimi Amachi, Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, Aliyu Wammako, Murtala Nyako and Abdulfatai Ahmed of Rivers, Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa and Kwara states threw in the towel and defected to APC while the ovation was loudest, Lamido and Babangida Aliyu of Niger state decided to remain in the PDP.
Aliyu is being speculated as being considered as Vice President to Jonathan who many believe may sacrifice Namadi Sambo in 2015, but Lamido who all the way has subtly indicated interest in the presidency at a time opened verbal war against President Jonathan, banking on the support of his political godfather Obasanjo.
In many occasions, Pointblanknews.com can recall, Obasanjo had openly campaigned for Lamido 2015 presidency, describing the tall Fulani politician as the best presidential material Nigeria needs.
With latest bashing between Obasanjo and the PDP leadership, Lamido has become restless and uncomfortable remaining within the sheds of the umbrella, Pointblanknews.com learnt from sources close to the Governor.
Just last Sunday, the secretary of Jigawa PDP, Alhaji Aliyu Mohammed Tukur spoke to journalists in Kano advancing reasons why Lamido decided to remain in the PDP for now.
According to Tukur, Lamido's commitment and desire to remain within the PDP was borne out of his determination to join forces with other defecting governors to APC to salvage Nigeria from collapse, adding that, “APC of today is the PDP of yesterday which is determined to salvage the country from the lingering quagmire.
''That Lamido is still in the PDP is not because he is afraid of EFCC's hammer. The anti-graft agency visited and tried Lamido several times in Dutse but did not find any evidence against him. Had it been that he defected from the PDP to the APC, then Lamido would be afraid of the EFCC, so he is still in PDP. Lamido is ready to receive the EFCC because his administration is doing what the people of the state want,” Tukur concluded.
Sensing that Lamido may come forth to hijack the APC leadership, a faction of the party has emerged in Jigawa state.
In a communiqué issued by the Legacy Group of APC in Jigawa state which comprises the defunct ANPP, CPC and CAN, they accused the three gubernatorial candidates of the defunct parties that snowballed into APC of hijacking the leadership of the party, in the state for their inordinate ambition.
It would be recalled that Alhaji Badaru Abubakar who emerged as the chairman of the interim committee of the APC, while Ibrahim Hassan was appointed as the secretary and Alhaji Faruk Adamu Aliyu was given the slot of treasurer. The three leaders were the governorship candidates of ACN, ANPP and CPC.
As result of this development, a group known as 'Legacy parties' of APC in the state has elected their on leadership to run the affairs of the party.
Parts of the communiqué reads: “After a critical look at the activities, it was observed that the Jigawa state harmonization committee has been hijacked by the governorship candidates of the defunct ACN, CPC and ANPP, who unilaterally declared themselves as the protem leaders of the party on the 5, January, 2014.”
The group also accused the three governorship candidates of influencing the forthcoming registration exercise as well as determining those that will emerged as leaders of the party during the congresses.
“We believe they are only promoting their personal interest rather than the collective interest of the party in the state.”
However, the Legacy Group elected Alhaji Abubakar Fulata as its chairman while Ibrahim Danba Gumel emerged its Secretary, as Abdullahi Sarki Kafinta and Mohammad Sani Zorro were elected Treasurer and Publicity Secretary respectively.
Pundits are of the view that the APC crisis in Jigawa is being engineered by the Lamido political mercenary because to them, for Lamido to hijackthe APC leadership peradventure he finally made his exit from the PDP, “there must be a divided house.”