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| Ken Nnamani |
Disclosing
this in Abuja on Saturday in a letter personally signed by him, Nnamani however
stated that he was embarking on interim vacation on partisan politic adding
that his former party had become a household of disgruntled elements who are
bereft of ideas.
By this disclosure, his anticipatory defection to the present ruling All Progressive Party, APC which has become a norm in the country is at the moment may not be feasible.
By this disclosure, his anticipatory defection to the present ruling All Progressive Party, APC which has become a norm in the country is at the moment may not be feasible.
“We
need to become the party of young men and women of new ideas and not a party of
political dinosaurs. It is clear now that these pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
“Without
any iota of bitterness in my heart, I have decided to disengage from the PDP
and consequently step aside from partisan politics in the interim.
”I
wish to express my profound gratitude to the party that gave me the platform
with which I attained the height I did in the politics of our country.
“How I
wish the efforts I mounted with some of my colleagues (many of whom have left
the party) to keep the PDP on the path of noble vision and values had been
supported by those who were privileged to be at the affairs of the party.
“It
would have been a different day for the PDP. It would have been a day of
victory and pride not of defeat and shame.
“I
recall that the virus of corruption of values and mission was what my
colleagues and I set out to cure through the formation of the PDP Reform Forum
in 2010/11.
“We worked hard to draw up a new direction for
the party. This was to help steer the party away from illegality and
impropriety so that PDP could fulfill its promise of being a vanguard of
Nigeria’s political and economic development.
“A
direction defined by strict adherence to basic rules and morality in the
management of party affairs. Chief of tghese values is respect for choice of
party members in electing party candidates for elections.
“With
more than half a decade of championing such a fundamental but simple idea, I
regret that the PDP leadership continues to rebuff internal democracy.
“The
party allowed itself to be blinded by hubris to believe that it will remain in
power and influence for 60 years in spite of several gross missteps and
grievous misnomer.
“We
forsaw this ditch and prescribed how to avert falling into it. But we were
dismissed as idealistic. Today, the idealists have become realists.
“Recently,
even after our avoidable abysmal electoral defeat, I continued to believe that
we can still chart a new course and retrieve victory from the jaw of defeat.
“I continued
to urge the leadership of the party to believe that the time of defeat could be
the time of renewal, and that renewal requires strategic thinking and bold
actions.
“I
urged that this is a time to re-embrace internal democracy and principled leadership
to reposition the party for new politics.
“We
are living in different times and we need new tools, ethos and codes of
conduct.
“Every
day the crises of confidence and the contradictions in our party deepen. We
continue to lose members and morale.
“The rebuilding
some of us had urged on the leadership is not happening. Those who led us to
defeat are determined to continue to lead the party as undertakers.
“I do
not believe I should continue to be a member of the PDP as it is defined today.
This is certainly not the party I joined years ago to help change my country.
“I do
not also believe that the PDP as it is managed today will provide an opportunity
for me to continue to play the politics of principles and values which I set
for myself as a young man on leaving graduate school and working for a large
multinational in the United States in the 70s and 80s.
“Therefore,
today I resign my membership of the PDP. In stepping out of partisan politics
for the meantime, I will continue to be politically engaged. I will also
continue to support the government and all the elected officers in Nigeria to
reposition the nation.
“I
will also constructively criticize them when by commission or omission they
take actions that could damage the prospects of transforming Nigeria into a
productive, merit-based and honestly governed country.
‘As I
leave PDP, I wish the leaders a new awakening and ethical revival. I cherish
all the friends I made while in PDP and hope the friendship will continue to
flourish,” Nnamani stated.
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