By: Tunde Bolaji, Minna.
The outgoing State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State, Barrister Tanko Beji, has declared that the exit of former Vice President and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, from the PDP is of no consequence.
Despite the ongoing wave of defections, Tanko Beji stated, “We’re not moved by Atiku’s resignation from the party.”
He also confirmed that the Niger State Administrative Secretary of the party has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking to journalists in Minna, Beji emphasized that Atiku’s departure has not created any vacuum within the party’s structure.
“The party is not shaken by the resignation of the former Vice President,” he said.
According to Tanko Beji, “His (Atiku’s) resignation is a good thing for him; it is also a good thing for our party. One person goes, five persons come in.
“It is good; we wish him the best of luck, just as he wished us the best of luck,” Beji declared.
The PDP State Chairman further stated: “Atiku met us in the party. He left, came back again—people didn’t leave the party. He left for the ACN; people didn’t leave the party. When he didn’t get what he wanted, he came back. Now he has left again—let him go.
“A political party is a platform of goodwill. If he thinks leaving the party will help him win the presidency, we will wait and see,” Tanko Beji added.
Responding to another question, the PDP chieftain revealed that the Congress to elect new State Working Committee (SWC) members of the party will take place in September. However, he added that he would not be contesting, having served out his tenure as provided by the constitution.
“We are working round the clock to hold the state congress in September. Though I am not contesting, I will put in place the committee to organize the congress,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Administrative Secretary of the party, Alhaji Jibrin Akwanu, has resigned from the PDP and registered with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Akwanu told journalists that he left the party because “its ship is sinking and everything is dilapidated.”
