Niger State Governor, Aliyu Babangida, has finally admitted that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was behind the formation and registration of the Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA).
He stated this when he hosted Raymond Dokpesi, an aspirant for national chairmanship of the party, in his residence in Abuja.
Babangida recalled that after the 14 months leadership crisis that rocked the party, there was need to “rebuild, re-brand and rejuvenate the party’’ ahead of the 2019 elections.
He said some PDP members actually thought of preparing alternative party for committed members, should the recent Supreme Court judgment become unfavourable for the party.
The former governor said that not only was it agreed by some PDP members to be involved in the registration of APDA, PDP also had discussion with 17 other political parties for coalition.
“Indeed, one of the parties gave us their papers. There are some of us who said that should the judgment not end well, we will leave PDP.
“Luckily, the judgment ended well and that alternative plan is gone,” he said.
Earlier, Dokpesi had said that he was consulting elders and leaders of the party as a peep into his ambition of leading the party as its national chairman.
He said that unity and sanity must return to PDP, adding that the party was in need of a visionary leader who was committed to the ideals and values of the founding fathers.
“We need those that will be able to build the party to make it able to face the challenges of the forthcoming 2019 general elections.”
Dokpesi said that he remained an unrepentant member of PDP, and of the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee even at the peak of the crisis.
“I never compromise one second to look at Senator Ali Modu Sheriff but I made attempt to broker peace with him,” he said.
He pledged to build a fearless team that would rebuild PDP to win 2019 elections.
Dokpesi had on Thursday, visited two former military Heads of State – Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, in Minna.
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