Apparently weighing his next political move, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is currently holding talks with some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Leadership reports that the clandestine consultation is ostensibly to reach some form of agreement, which may see him running for the 2019 presidency under the party’s platform.
This is even as the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa has confirmed the receipt of the former vice president’s resignation letter.
A dependable source close to the PDP leadership told our correspondent that it had been series of meetings and telephone conversations involving Abubakar and party leaders, including former President Goodluck Jonathan on how the former VP can be absolved and reabsorbed into the party.
“To make the platform conducive for him, some of the party leaders have even assured him (Atiku) of getting a waiver to enable him contest the presidential primary after leaving the party for some years now”, the source who did not want his name to appear in print said.
The former VP reportedly met with Adamawa PDP executive council at all levels as well as state chairmen from tthe six north-east states.
Sources said Abubakar also met with the PDP vice chairman for North-east zone.
Abubakar had on Friday announced his resignation from the APC, citing fractionalisation of the party and marginalisation from the inner workings of the party that he worked for assiduously to win the 2015 general elections.
After the announcement of his resignation, Abubakar was said to have flown into Adamawa State from where he reportedly met with the PDP state chairman, ward chairmen and the Northeast zonal chairman.
In his resignation letter to the party’s ward chairman in his Jada 1 ward of Jada local government area, the Waziri Adamawa warned that the polarization policy of the APC government, dividing the country along ethnic and religious lines is posing a serious threat to the unity of Nigeria.
Abubakar also lamented that the failure of APC to improve the lives of Nigerians has dashed the hope of the founding fathers of the ruling party.
In the resignation letter acknowledged by Usman Muazu, the former VP decried what he described as the unbeatable hardship of the people.
“I wish to inform you of my decision to resign my membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in this ward with effect from the date of this letter”, he stated.
Announcing his decision to quit the ruling party, Atiku equally expressed fear that there may not even be a country for the politicians to lead again should the APC government continue with the level of impunity it has shown since taking over power.
He continued: “I am resigning from a party we formed and worked so hard, with fellow compatriots across the country, to place in government. I had hope that the APC government will make improvements to the lives of our people and the continued existence and development of Nigeria as one indivisible nation. This hope has now been dashed.
“I am unable to reconcile myself with the dismal performance of the party in government, especially in relation to the continued polarization of our people along ethnic and religious lines, which is threatening our unity more than any other time in the recent past and the unbeatable hardship that our people are currently undergoing.
“As I said in 2006, it is the struggle for democracy, constitutionalism and service to my country and my my people that are driving my choice. Let me emphasize again that this is not about me. We have to have a country before people can aspire to lead it”.
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