BAMAINA, DUTSE-Founding National Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and Second Republic Governor of Plateau State, Chief Solomon Lar has said he proposed the re-entry of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar into the ruling party because, according to him, "the anti-democratic forces that once forced Atiku to seek relevance in the Action Congress have been dismantled."
He spoke to Vanguard in an exclusive interview, the elder statesman at the wedding fatiha between Fatima, daughter of Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido and a member of the House of Representatives, Nasiru Sule Garo at the Bamaina Juma'at Mosque last Saturday.
Chief Lar said this just as politicians loyal to Ambassador Mohammed Buba Marwa in Adamawa State resolved to support the former Vice President in his bid to return to the PDP.
The backing of Marwa's supporters is coming against the backdrop of reports that the political camps of the state Governor, Murtala Nyako, and Senator Jubril Aminu were opposed to Atiku's return to the PDP.
Chief Lar disclosed during the chat that he mooted the idea for Atiku's re-entry into the PDP after democratic processes clearly became instituted in the party, because according to him, "the garrison commander who used to be there has been cleared. And so, I feel he now has a free access to be back in the fold.
"It was I who said Atiku should now come back to PDP because the PDP is now safe for him."
Chief Lar also advised critics of the political move by the immediate past vice president to embrace the decision because Atiku never wanted to leave the PDP.
According to him, Atiku's planned return to the is "a welcome thing, after all, Atiku never wanted to leave PDP; it was the PDP that left Atiku and so, it is correct for Atiku to return to his rightful place."
Adamawa AC backs Atiku
Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Action Congress under the leadership of Alhaji Ibrahim Bapetel in a statement said it would support Atiku and follow him to any political party of his choice.http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/27725/42/