Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said while he remains a loyal PDP member, he doesn’t have the right or power to stop others from associating or seeking registration for new parties.
Following press enquiries on the reported registration of the Peoples’ Democratic Movement (PDM) as a political party, the former Vice President said he would always welcome the expansion of the political space to accommodate all shades of opinions or political hue.
While acknowledging that many of his political associates are involved in registering the PDM, Atiku Abubakar explained that he had no powers to stop adults with common interests from coming together to form a party.
He also noted that many of his political associates are equally members of political parties other than the PDP.
According to him, freedom of association as enshrined in the constitution is the beauty of democracy and that he wouldn’t dissuade any of his followers from seeking a platform to promote their programmes.
Political analysts It would be recalled that the PDM played active roles of in the country’s democratic transition from the Babangida, Abacha and Abdulsalami administrations, a platform founded by late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, which provided the impetus for his impressive performance across the country during the September 1992 presidential primaries, which were later cancelled by the military regime.
The late Gen. Yar’Adua came close to becoming President, with the help of the formidable PDM structure. In 1999, the PDM was also part of the force behind the emergence of former President Obasanjo as PDP presidential candidate.
It should also be of note, that the choice of Atiku Abubakar as running mate to Obasanjo in 1999 was a recognition of the active role of the PDM platform in his victory.
