Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, has said that himself and other members of the House who defected to All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party would have been richer politicians today had they remained in the PDP.
He explained that remaining in the PDP would have been an easier choice as all the lawmakers would have enjoyed the financial benefits of being in the same party as the Federal Government.
However, Tambuwal stated that for the love of Nigeria and the need to turn the country around for good, they opted to leave the PDP and join the progressive-minded APC.
He claimed that the PDP had not done much for the country since it assumed control of its leadership in 1999.
But, a member of the House who is serving on the PDP’s Presidential Campaign Committee, Mr. Bitrus Kaze, quickly disagreed with Tambuwal.
A statement on Monday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Imam Imam, quoted Tambuwal as making the submission at an APC town hall meeting held in Tsafe Emirate, Zamfara State.
“Many patriotic Nigerians who felt the need to change the course of our country have protested the inept administrative style on this country.
“They made their voices known by abandoning the PDP and teaming up with progressive-minded Nigerians.
“Remaining in the PDP would have been the easy option for us. We would have been richer and would have been enjoying the benefits of being in the same political camp with the Federal Government.
“But we chose a different option because we felt enough is enough. We felt Nigeria deserves better leadership that is why we are in the APC,” the statement added.
Tambuwal also advised the electorate against voting for the PDP on the grounds that it was not dignifying to do so.
“So, a vote for PDP would be undignified.
“We must re-discover our self-worth as a people, we must move the country forward,” Tambuwal said.
Traditional rulers and other interest groups at the Emirate as well as the Zamfara State Governor, Mr. Abdulaziz Yari, attended the APC town hall meeting.
In his reaction to the speaker’s comments, Kaze, who is from Plateau State, said it was “unfortunate” that Tambuwal, who was until six months ago a member of the PDP, could paint the party in such bad light.
He argued that so long as Nigeria was not yet practising politics of ideology, a change of political party merely served personal interest and nothing more. – Punch.
