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Why PDP still fears elections after 12 years in power -Gov Aliyu
By
Jide Orintunsin
The Nation Sat Oct 8,2011
Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu
The Chairman of Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Niger
State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has expressed concern that
the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is often jittery when
participating in elections.
He also expressed worries over the volume of litigations that
greets the party’s candidates’ victory at the polls despite
being in power for 12 years.
The governor, who expressed his displeasure while receiving the
report of the state’s PDP Constitution Review Committee, also
frowned at the rising credibility challenges PDP candidates
face, noting that people now question the victory of the party
at will.
Aliyu said that after leading the country for 12 years, the
party ought to have earned the people’s confidence and not
challenges.
Proffering a solution to the phenomenon he described as ugly,
the governor said the party needs to source for trustworthy
candidates to represent it at all levels of election within and
outside the party. He opined that when a party fails, members of
the party should take equal share of the blame.
He said: “We must draft only the right candidates into the
party. And I think we must be very careful, because in a
situation where we have been in
power for 12 years and people still question our positions is
not right. By now, we should have got the peoples confidence.
But now, every body is afraid of the situation. Any indictment
on the party is an indictment on the members and their
manifestoes.”
Aliyu who is also a member of the party’s national committee on
the review of the party’s constitution, came down heavily on the
heroic reception accorded to members who dumped the party to
contest elections in other parties only to return after the
elections.
Describing the situation as unacceptable, the governor observed
that those who remained and laboured for the party’s victory at
the polls are not recognised.
“The constitution should look into this and address such issues,
so that we can have a party that has zero tolerance for
corruption, selfishness, and indiscipline,’’ he said.
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