The former vice president said he was still a
member of the PDP.
A former Vice President and member of the
ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku
Abubakar, has confirmed that some of his
political associates are set to register a new
party, the Peoples Democratic Movement,
PDM.
The PDM, one of Nigeria’s oldest existing
political movements was founded by
Nigeria’s former deputy military leader, late
Shehu Yar’Adua, and is currently headed by
Mr. Abubakar.
While describing the PDM, Mr. Abubakar’s
media aide, Garba Shehu, in a statement
sent to journalists, said, “The PDM platform,
which was founded by late General Shehu
Musa Yar’Adua, 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, thanks to the
formidable PDM structure. In 1999, the PDM
was also in the forefront in the emergence
of former President Obasanjo as PDP
presidential candidate.
“Political observers also noted 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.”
The PDM is known to have top politicians
across the county as members including
former Katsina State Governor, Lawal Kaita;
and former Minister and Lagos politician,
Dapo Sarumi.
While the former vice president confirmed in
the statement that some of his associates
are in the process of registering the PDM as
a political party, he however said he still
remained a member of the Peoples
Democatic Party, PDP.
Mr. Abubakar 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.
The former vice president, who said he had
no powers to stop adults with common
interests from coming together to form a
party, said he would always welcome the
expansion of the political space to
accommodate all shades of opinions or
political hue.
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.
Mr. Abubakar recently complained publicly
that he was being ostracised from the PDP.
In a petition sent to the PDP National
Chairman, Mr. Abubakar said he was being
denied of all the entitlements due him as a
former vice president and member of the
ruling party.
The Adamawa-born politician was President
Goodluck Jonathan’s main challenger for the
PDP presidential ticket prior to 2011, having
edged out other northern candidates
including former president Ibrahim
Babangida. He complained then that the PDP
primaries were manipulated to favour the
president.
Mr. Abubakar also contested the 2007
presidential elections, then under the
platform of the Action Congress, a party that
is now part of the All Progressives Congress.
An astute politician, political observers
believe registering the PDM is an avenue to
create a vehicle on which Mr. Abubakar
could contest the 2015 presidential election.

Same rubbish different moments. Nice development, the more the merrier. But what I will tell Atiku and his so called
"Associates"is that, no matter how fat a goat becomes, it can never fat like cow.