Former Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to
immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, has dumped the Peoples
Democratic Party.
In a post on his Facebook page titled, “It is time to say
GOODBYE TO PDP,” Okupe said he had to make his resignation from the party
public because PDP “no longer exists in my ward as a single unified party; it
was when I joined it.”
He based his resignation on the following reasons:
“It is no longer news that the PDP has been embroiled in a
fratricidal internal crisis brought upon it by itself.
“Its current direction is difficult to discern and I am
convinced that even when the much expected judgement from the Supreme Court is
given, the future of the party is not likely to be significantly affected
whichever way the judgement goes.
“There seems to be too much deception, selfishness and gross
nepotism in our polity nationally.
“During the NRC and SDP era, there existed true nationalism
and brotherhood.
“Northern NRC politicians will under no circumstance
undermine their party for any parochial reason. Also neither will a Southern
NRC politician, under any circumstance betray their party.
“Abiola was a Yoruba man, yet those of us who were Yorubas
in the NRC never once thought of voting for him.
“The commitment in the North was even more profound. Even
the Northern SDP rejected a distinguished successful Kano born “Presidential Candidate,
Alhaji Bashir Tofa, and voted for a Southern Yoruba muslim candidate. Worse
than that, both Abiola and his running mate, Amb. Baba Gana Kingibe were
muslims. Yet, it did not matter.
“Today, political parties have lost their importance and
identities. Once the candidate is Northern, his party is immaterial, all
norherners irrespective of their professed party affiliations will vote for
him.
“This is the major reason why there has been a total absence
of opposition in the country in the last two years, and may probably be
responsible for the polarization and sharp ethnic divisions we are currently
witnessing in the country.
“In the east, there is intense anger and loud call for
secession, in the south-south, there is absolute indignation and very resolute
demand for total control of their resources, while the south-west is bellicose
and hell bent on true federalism and restructuring which many prominent
Northerners openly oppose for good or for bad.
‘Under these circumstances, political parties have lost
their flavor and relevance.Certainly, a party like my former party, PDP has no
future in the evolving Nigerian Political Circus.
“This political confusion has percolate to the states, Ogun
state being one of the worst hit.
The leadership of the party has been irredeemably
fictionalized for nearly a decade.
“Presently it is divided broadly into two major factions.
One headed by Hon Ladi Adebutu and the other by Senator Buruji Kashamu.
“Unfortunately, I do not fit into either group. Hence it
becomes extremely difficult for me to operate as a politician under the PDP
umbrella in the state. Yet, all politics is local.
“The situation in the country may in the nearest future
require that matured men of goodwill standby to play a unifying role for
political stability of the country. My membership of PDP may directly or
indirectly preclude me from gratifying such noble and patriotic desire.
“Undeniably, I have been one of the major beneficiaries (not
financially) of the PDP. But for a fact, the PDP and the APC are political
platforms that have now expired or in the process of being so.
“Therefore, no matter my commitment and passion for this
great party, the PDP, it has become menopausal and can no longer bear fruits.
“I have therefore decided to withdraw a bit and study the
political situation more critically and thereafter take a decision soonest on
my next political move.
“I will miss my friends, associates and co-travelers on this
tortuous political journey and adventure. However, it is also still possible
that our paths cross in the nearest future, which will be a delight.
“But in spite of my stated pessimism, I sincerely express my
best wishes to the more courageous party faithfuls who I am leaving behind,and
I also pray for God’s guidance for them.
“For how far I have gone, I remain eternally grateful to
Almighty God and Jesus Christ my savior, to whom ALL powers belong. If it is
His will that I still play a role in National Politics in future, then most
certainly, and by His grace, I WILL BE BACK.”
By Ameh Comrade Godwin
