BARELY a week after its emergence as a political party, the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) ran into bad weather on Friday following the decision of its zonal leaders to dissociate themselves from the registration.
A communique made public at the end of a meeting of PDM leaders in Abuja stated that the movement was not supposed to be registered as a party.
Natonal Leader of the PDM, Senator Abubakar Mahdi, who presided over the meeting, said the real PDM members were not party to the political party registered by certain interests.
The PDM leaders said that the new political party led by the interim National Chairman, Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, was secretly transformed to the a political party against the original intentions of the founders.
The movement said it was dismayed at the manner in which the body was converted into a political party against the original vision of its founding fathers.
They insisted that members of PDM would continue to act as a pressure group within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The communique they made public at the end of the meeting in Abuja was signed by eight leaders of the PDM, including Senator Abubakar Mahdi (Chairman), Senator Ifeanyi Araraume (South-East leader), Alhaji Abdullahi Abdulkadir Mohammed (North-West leader), Chief Ejiofor Onyia (South-South leader), Kabiru Bawa (North-East), Dr Bala Ahmed Tafida (North Central leader), Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun (South-West), Alhaji Shuaibu Abdullahi and Chief Oluponnle Ebo.
The communiqué read in part: “An expanded meeting of the PDM (movement not party) was called on 22nd day of August, 2013 by the Chairman, Senator Abubakar Mahdi, to brief members on the registration of the movement as a political party.
“In attendance were the secretary; Chief Dubem Onyia, Director of Finance, Shuaib Abdullahi and Zonal leaders of the movement.
“In their reaction the zonal leaders observed with dismay the way and manner in which PDM was secretly converted into a political party against the original vision of its founding fathers.”
“A situation where Founding Fathers, National Caucus, Zonal Leaders and State Management Committees were not consulted is unacceptable.
“The Zonal Leaders therefore, resolved that they are also not part of the registered party as they remain members of PDM as a pressure group within PDP.
“They wish to further reassure PDM members across the country that the vision of the founding fathers should not and would not be compromised without consultation and their consent.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whose loyalists registered the PDM has however denied that he was ready to quit the PDP ty and tthat he had no hands in the registration of the. New party.
He had, however,stated that promoters of the new party are his associates.
Another leader of the PDM, Ambassador Yahaya Kwande, had also said that the PDM was not meant to be a political party.
He said: “PDM was never proposed to become a political party; it was established to stand as a bridge linking the northern and southern parts of the country and between people in different political parties; a meeting point for people in different religions and tribes; a unifying forum for Nigerians from all walks of life.”