Yar’Adua’s PDM backs alliance talks, elects new officers

The political group of late Major General Musa Yar’Adua, the Peoples Democratic Movement, has thrown its weight behind the alliance among some of Nigeria’s opposition political parties.
The PDM, in a communique it issued on Sunday sequel to a meeting on February 5, 2013, said the decision of the opposition political parties to team up was good for Nigeria’s democracy.
The communique, signed by Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, Prince Tonye Princewill and Murtala Shehu Musa Yar’adua, said: “The Movement received briefing on the ongoing merger talks among opposition political parties in the country and commended the opposition for its resolve to give Nigerians an alternative political platform. We call on all opposition political parties and organisations across the country to close ranks in order to provide Nigerians with a clear choice between conservative and progressive ideologies.”
The PDM implored the opposition not just to form an alliance but to do so with the aim of providing workable solutions to the challenges facing the country.
The communique added: “While we are gladdened by the development, we implore the opposition to define its own identity based on progressive ideology, with clear and contrasting policies and programs capable of pulling Nigeria out of the current state of despoliation, despair and debasement. Telling Nigerians how bad things are simply won’t suffice. Clear and practical solutions are what Nigerians need. PDM is developing a clear roadmap for the entrenchment of profound national social, political and economic reforms which will lead to creating jobs, steady power supply, improved security, transparent and credible elections and bring corruption in all its manifestations to an end.
“The Movement resolved to open discussions with the organisations of like mind, with a view to finding common grounds on issues of principle, policy and strategy in order to move the Nigerian project to the next level. These discussions must be open, transparent and above all, in the best interest of the peace, unity, stability and economic progress of Nigeria and Nigerians AS A WHOLE. The era of Business As Usual should be dead and gone. Politicians must begin to do things differently, henceforth, in order to save Nigeria from imminent collapse. Nigerians are sick and tired of more of the same and are clamouring for change, a change which they deserve.”
The group also elected officers to run its affairs.
Those elected into the new National Management Committee were Senator Abubakar Mahdi National Chairman
Chief Bode Ajewole. Deputy National Chairman
Chief Dubem Onya. National Secretary
Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim. Director of Research & Planning
Prince Tonye Princewill. Director of Organization
Dame Titi Ajanaku. Director of Women Affairs
Alh. Murtala Shehu Yar’adua Director of Youth Affairs
Abdullahi Shuaibu Yeman. Director of Finance.
The PDM also announced the formation of two new organs, a National Elders Committee and a National Caucus.
Both are to be announced soon alongside those of State Coordinators, Youth and Women Leaders for the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT.
The meeting also gave approval to a new zonal, state, senatorial and local government area management structure across the country.
All the new structures are to take effect immediately.
“We are proud to announce that these leadership changes took place democratically, in an atmosphere of peace, discipline and camaraderie, a refreshing departure from the rancour and the sit tight mentality which is common among political organisations across the land,” the communique said.
The PDM also expressed sadness over the recent handling of the corruption case against Yakubu Yusuf of the Police Pension Office.
The communique said: “The PDM also reviewed current developments in Nigeria and lamented the culture of corruption and judicial collaboration which has engulfed the country. It condemned the recent sentencing of a convicted criminal for a period of 2 years with the option to pay a paltry N750,000 as fine for stealing a whopping sum of N33 billion of pension funds. The light sentence handed down for this crime against Nigerians and, especially, against the millions of retirees who sacrificed their lives at their prime age, does not inspire confidence in the purported war against corruption in particular and in the nation’s judiciary as a whole.”