The Young Democratic Party (YDP) is not deterred by the strong reprimand from Justice Ahmed Mohammed.
The judge had on March 4, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the party. But the new party claimed at a press conference that the judgment included that it be allowed to take part in the polls, an announcement which infuriated Mohammed.
The judge threatened a contempt charge against YDP leaders if they fail to appear in his court on March 23.
YDP presidential candidate, Shettima Yerima, argued in an exclusive interview with TheNiche that he cannot be excluded from the contest. “Of course, I should be added. Why will you register my party without allowing me to participate?”
He said the party will go to court to ensure it takes part in the elections. “The court will have to interpret more. We are going to the court again.”
YDP is PDP by another name, says APC
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged the YDP is PDP by another name. All Progressives Congress Campaign Organisation spokesman, Garba Shehu, said: “We all know that the party is the PDP by another name. I am told that the chairman of that new party is the author or publisher of President Goodluck Jonathan’s biography.
“So, it is like he is his personal biographer and that they have branched out to form a new party which we hear was planning its national convention by March 13.
“When they do that, two days to the election, they will go to court and say they have a candidate for the presidential election.
“The way they are running this country, if care is not taken, we are headed to the call for yet another postponement.”
Yerima denies being PDP mole
Yerima is also accused of being a PDP mole, a charge he denied. “I contested in 2011; people never complained …. I bought the nomination form five months ago before this whole trouble started. And if there is trouble and I am caught in the middle, why would I be blackmailed for that.
“People are entitled to their opinion. The fact of the matter is that we will not continue to commit suicide to our generation.”
When asked that the timing of his ambition is suspect, he replied: “I don’t care. I shouldn’t take responsibility for the omission on the part of the INEC. It should not be my responsibility to explain also why the court delayed. I bought the form five months ago.”
Yerima, who is from the North where Buhari has a huge following, said he is not scared of backlash from his people who may think that he is in the race to scuttle Buhari’s presidential ambition.
“Buhari is a candidate of another party. I am the candidate of another party. And nobody can deny me my fundamental right to contest for any office. It is my own right to do what I am doing. As I am talking to you, I am in Kaduna.
“People have a choice of their own. Why are we making it look as if it is a gangster act? Those days are over where one person decides the fate of everybody. It is not done.
“I cannot be party to committing suicide for my generation. I am competent. I have what it takes. I can offer service to Nigerians. Those are my constitutional rights. Those are my natural rights. I am not and I cannot be boxed into blackmail by anybody.”
Yerima admits friendship with Dokubo
Another reason people are suspicious of Yerima’s ambition is his close relationship with Asari Dokubo, former leader of the Niger Delta Youth Volunteer Force (NDYVF), who threatened violence if Jonathan is not re-elected.
“I have a personal relationship with Asari Dokubo,” Yerima admitted.
“He is my friend, I will never deny him and I cannot stop him from getting what he wants, neither will he stop me from what I want. My personal relationship with him is different from what we share as philosophy.
“He is my very good friend. But he is on one side and I am on another side. And that does not in any way deter my relationship with him.”
He said he is in the race to bring about a new Nigeria. “Let us begin to change the destiny of this country. Let us begin to discuss issues. Let us look at Nigeria as our own. Gone are those days when people become so sectional about issues relating to politics.
“Fifty years ago was when we were supposed to jettison this kind of thinking. We want a new Nigeria where people will be treated equally.”
Yerima said he has what it takes to deliver the country better than Jonathan and Buhari. “I will do better. I am contesting because I believe in myself. Nobody influenced my decision.
“When we went to court, we did not know the INEC was going to postpone the election.”
