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2019: Dogara receives PDP form, says he doesn’t need APC to win re-election

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2019: Dogara receives PDP form, says he doesn’t need APC to win re-election

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has confirmed possession of expression of interest and nomination forms of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the House of Representatives election in 2019.

This was as his supporters brought the forms to him on Thursday, urging him to leave the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The constituents flooded Dogara’s Abuja residence, saying they decided to present the PDP forms to the speaker as a result of “injustice meted on them by the APC”.

Aminu Tukur, a member of the delegation, told the speaker that the APC is now plagued by injustice and dictatorship.

“The day Buhari joined partisan politics in 2002, I was the only person from Bauchi that travelled and I have been with him since then,” he said.

“Mr Speaker, I swear to almighty God that He spared my life. I and our people will vote for you and we urge you to heed to our cries and accept this form. We pray that God returns you to your seat. APC is not a religion as it is neither Islam nor Christianity.”

Adamu Jambil, a former deputy chairman of Tafawa Balewa local government, said, “The people have sent us to you with these forms. Bauchi state today is retrogressing. They have not constructed 30 kilometres of roads but they are busy lying that they have done 500 kilometres.

“Our people have sent us to tell you that they will not allow anybody to humiliate you. They love you and will not allow APC to embarrass you and turn around to you beg you to remain in their party. They said we should tell you that as their son, they are not giving you any option but directing you to accept these forms and leave the APC.

“They said time has gone so they will not give you any option and if you refuse to listen to them, they will desert you. But we know you are an obedient child and you will listen to your parents.
Whether you like it or not, you must leave the APC. This is the message from our people to you.We have seen all the good works you are doing and they have sent us to tell you that they will not allow you to rest.”

Read also: ‘Buhari has not said people should not steal’— Amaechi

Amina Saleh from Dass local government said women in the constituency have sent her to inform the speaker that they will be with him: come rain, come shine.

“You told us to join APC and we did. We worked for the party but they have betrayed us and that is why we said instead of building another house, it is better we return to our former home where we are more welcome,” she said.

“They are already celebrating that we are here to present these forms to you. Please our leader, we appeal to you to accept it and wipe away our tears.”

Responding, the speaker said: “I have listened to you and I want to say that I am not a novice in politics. So, even if they do not regard us, they should know that we are in full control of our five senses. We know what looks like justice and what is not justice, we also know if you want to humiliate or honour us.

“We built the APC in Bauchi and with time left the PDP and entered the APC. I was the first and only lawmaker from Bauchi state that left the APC then and we knew why we left. We also know what we promised the people of Bauchi state then.

“But I must thank you all. This is not the first time we would face these of kind of threats and betrayal. Our only fault is that we have chosen not to side with injustice or wrong. We always voice out when we see that we are beginning to derail from our election promises to the people and that is why some people said they will retire us from politics and have even started celebrating that they have buried us politically. But throughout all this, I remained unperturbed because I knew that we had our people with us.”

“Truly, I have decided that I will not seek election again. They said they will give me ticket in APC but that I must go and beg for it. I said I do not need the ticket. In politics, I have never gone to anybody’s house to beg for ticket.

“My ticket is my people. I have assured them that even if I run under zero party, my people will vote for me. So long as it is Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa, even if we run under zero party; we will win by God’s grace. We have thrived well in many political battles in the past and this one too, we shall overcome it. Nobody can threaten us or tell us that we cannot contest election in a political party we spent our resources to establish, only God can stop us.

“I had heard your voices and the voice of the people is the voice of God. We are in politics to serve and not to be served. As I said, if it were for myself, I will quit because truly I am tired and even thought of stepping aside. But we must run election so long as our people say so.

“I have seen the forms you brought. I don’t know how you got it but I must thank you for this sacrifice. Left for me; I will appeal that you give me some time to go and consult further.

“I have a lot of supporters in the APC but I have not told any of them what I intend to do or where I will go because I was not given the opportunity but I will assure you that wherever you want me to go or whatever you want me to do I will obey you because you have been with me. This is leadership.

“Even when they were talking about reconciliation in APC, we told them that even if I will be given free ticket in APC, so long as they do not do justice to Senator Sulieman Nazif, Senator Isa Hamma Misau, Honourable Ahmed Yerima, Hon. Aminu Tukur, Hon. Maryam Bagel and others, I will not accept it. I even said that if they will do justice to these people I will be satisfied,” he said.

“You have now given us another opportunity to correct the greatest mistake we did in politics, which was to bring this present government in Bauchi State. This is one of the reasons we must run for election and do away with this plague, chase these termites from Bauchi State.

“I will not disobey you but before I fill these forms, I will have to inform all my supporters in the APC about the decision taken by my constituents since all politics is local.”

 

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