The chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmed Makarfi has urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to help the ruling party with a winning strategy to return to Aso Rock in 2019.
Makarfi who made the remarks while receiving Atiku during at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.yesterday alleged that there were people bent on destroying the party.
He said he was grateful that the party had been winning in courts against those who “are hell-bent on destabilising this party and holding this party down.”
Makarfi, who was flanked by other members of the caretaker committee, said, “(We went through) guerrilla warfare, artillery attacks, bombardment, but we weathered the storm. And the story will be a positive one at the end of the day.
“Your Excellency, you have opened the floodgates and we expect many more high profile returnees and new entrants into the PDP.
“So, PDP must be prepared for this, and be ready to reconcile and reiterate in such a way and manner that everybody will be treated and given a level playing field to pursue their personal aspiration. That is what the PDP must stand for if it has to survive.”
He denied that the party had a secret deal with Atiku before he agreed to return to the party.
While saying that he returned in good time, Makarfi called on Atiku to continue to contribute to “this reinvention, remodelling of our party so that come 2019, we can reclaim what we can claim is ours.”
He asked Atiku to help the party develop a winning strategy that would enable it to win the presidential election in 2019.
Makarfi reasoned that Atiku’s defection to the PDP before the national convention slated for Saturday in Abuja was an indication that he was ready to contribute to the success of the party.
He added, “We will continue to consult you. You will also help us reinvent the vehicle that will take us to Aso Rock in 2019.
“We are not just targeting Aso Rock, we are targeting the federal legislature, the states, both the executive and the legislature. We are targeting the local governments.
“We want to sweep elections all across the country. As a united party, we have the capacity and we have the ability to do so.”
Atiku expressed his gratitude to the leadership of the party for granting him the opportunity to visit the party despite the tight schedule of its leaders.
He said, “What I have come to do today is to come and show my face. Many people have read in the media that I have returned home; this is home.
“I want to assure you of my support and cooperation at all times; to make sure that these objectives are achieved by you and subsequently by your successors.
“We should remember that those of us, who founded this party, founded it on the principles of democracy, good governance, unity of this country and the prosperity of its people.
“Over the years, like any or every human organisation, it has faced its challenges but I want to pay tribute to those who have stayed steadfast through thick and thin to see us through to this point.
“Now that we have learnt our lessons, I hope that we will be guided by the lessons we have learnt.”
Atiku added, “And that is to make sure that we build an all-inclusive party, where every part of this country will have a sense of belonging and sense of participation.
“To achieve all these, there must be sacrifices, understanding and compromises in the process of achieving that. And that is what I speak to members to imbibe.
“But as you know, one thing that I will never compromise is the internal democratic process in a given political party. And I hope we all must have learnt our lesson.
“I therefore want to pledge to you, Mr. Chairman and members of the National Working Committee that my returning home is to help continue with the work you have started, reforming, re-branding this very party which is the only party in this country.
“Let me pay tribute to the past leadership of this great party wherever they may be and to call upon them to please return home as I have done.
“It is only by their returning home that we will build a stronger, more united party that can, again, return to government and continue to deliver the dividends of democracy.”
Atiku told the cheery crowd that the PDP government remained the best in the history of the country since 1999.
The ex-VP argued that it would be difficult for any government to achieve 50 per cent of what the PDP achieved.
“I can bet you, the records we have achieved so far in governance, no government has yet even done 50 per cent of what we have achieved in government, not to talk of equalling our performance in government,” he added.
Apart from other members of the caretaker committee, some members of the party, especially those who attended the convention planning committee meetings, were also around to receive Atiku.
They included a former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu; a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Duben Onyia; a former Minister of Police Affairs, Maina Waziri, and Senator Ben Murray-Bruce.
