Former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a franchise for Governors and FCT Minister, and should therefore be nicknamed the Governors Democratic Party (GDP).

He  added that the party has become toxic and indeed a danger to Nigeria, for failing to live up to expectation in giving Nigeria, the needed change the people yearn for under democratic  rule.


El-Rufai who was at the launch  of the Plateau State chapter of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), the first in Nigeria, stated this  at a press conference, shortly after the  launch.


“PDP has become a franchise of 36 state governors and FCT, where states’ resources are used to oppress citizens at will with no one challenging them. So your money is being used to oppress you.


“Unless PDP loses election in a significant way, it will not change because it will think it is doing well. And unprincipled politicians will be busy leaving their parties to join them”.


According to him,  “Some of us felt concerned and started a reform movement with the hope that PDP internal operation will be democratised, but instead of seeing reasons with what we are championing, the powers that be clamped down on us because of fear”.


The PDP, he added “has failed to live up to expectation, it has become toxic, it has become a danger to the country’s democracy, you cannot have a party that is dominated by 29 out of 36 governors and the FCT and expect anything good for our teeming masses,”


According to him, “unless PDP lose elections substantially, no change can be expected, because it has no incentives to change or do better, which is unfortunate  and the founding fathers will be regretting why their vision for the party has not been adhered to in the last twelve years.”

He however, noted that not all in the party are bad, because people like former Governor Adamu Muazu of Bauchi state did well and some few others, while others have failed to deliver democratic dividends to the people.

Also commenting, the Convener of SNG, Pastor Tunde Bakare, said the group came about because Nigerians are dissatisfied with the way the country is being governed, saying the group would mobilize Nigerians to ensure that their votes count during and after 2011.

According to him, the SNG is not a political party but a political organization with “responsibility to let the people know that sovereignty is in their hands”.

He said the group is out to give voice to the voiceless so that “we will have credible leaders in place that will lead and give good governance. He denied association with any political party as is being insinuated.


http://www.thisdayonline.info/nview.php?id=184544

I hope he will not be dismissed/ expelled for anti-party statement.