Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, has recounted his warning to the party in 2013 over the possibility of its defeat in the general election this year if its leaders did not mend their ways.
Tukur recalled his speech at the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on June 20, 2013 which he presided over as the party’s helmsman.
“In our efforts to achieve success, we must rededicate our genuine political believes, change our attitudes and identify our political needs.
“These good values cannot be realised without accepting the supremacy of the party constitution as key instrument that ensures progress, stability and internal discipline,” he said, quoting from the speech.
“We must strengthen our democracy through determination, not personalisation, correction, not manipulation, collectivism, not individualism and sacrifice, not disservice.”
He recalled that at the time, he urged the PDP to “take urgent steps to achieve higher levels, at least by coming to terms with democratic norms and practices.”
He said he pointed out the new direction the PDP should follow before he was forced out of the party. “We had told them then that our focus for the future should be about consolidation and continuity and that goes beyond the plans of our opponents that PDP will fail.”
Tukur spoke of the proposal he made to resolve the crisis in the party then, which was also ignored. He said he recommended the need to “reconcile our disagreement by closing ranks and stimulating greater efficiency in our judgments.”
He also preached that “internal democracy should triumph over the current practice of imposition of candidates during the party congresses thus collectively we sustain the political aspirations of Nigeria.”
Tukur said he is having the last laugh now as the poor outing of the PDP in the general election is attributable to the neglect of his advice and how he was edged out of office.