After Senate President Bukola Saraki dumped the ruling party for the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday, it was widely expected that
Abdullahi, being his loyalist, would follow suit. There were widespread
reports on Tuesday that Abdullahi had done just that, but he vehemently
denied it. However, on Wednesday, he confirmed his exit from the ruling
party.
Bolaji Abdullahi has officially resigned his position as
National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as
well as his membership of the party.
After Senate President
Bukola Saraki dumped the ruling party for the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) on Tuesday, it was widely expected that Abdullahi, being his
loyalist, would follow suit.
There were widespread reports on Tuesday that Abdullahi had done just that, but he vehemently denied it.
However,
on Wednesday, he confirmed his exit from the ruling party, saying his
“personal stake in the issue of Kwara makes it incongruous” for him to
continue to sit as part of the working committee of the party.
Abdullahi
complained that he has recently had to endure the “flagrant usurpation”
of his role as the spokesman of the party in a manner that he considers
“unbefitting of a ruling party and inconsistent with my ethical
standards”.
He added that in a situation whereby his loyalty is
constantly brought into question, his subordinates deployed to subvert
his office, and his views constantly second-guessed on the basis of his
political affiliation, it became imperative for him to review his
position.
“Clearly, I cannot continue to function as the
spokesman of a party whose expectations of that role is incompatible
with my personal principles,” he said.
“In the same token, I can no
longer justify to myself that I should remain in a party which has now
made it clear to the world that the political group that I belong is no
longer wanted, and which has
hung my membership of that group as an albatross around my neck.”
THE FULL STATEMENT
PRESS STATEMENT BY THE NATIONAL PUBLICITY OF THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC), MALLAM BOLAJI ABDULLAHI
AUGUST 1ST, 2018.
In
view of recent political developments in the country and within the All
Progressives Congress (APC), I have decided to resign my position as
the National Publicity Secretary as well as my membership of the party
with effect from today.
In the last few days, I have had to
endure the flagrant usurpation of my role as the spokesman of the party
in a manner that I consider unbefitting of a ruling party and
inconsistent with my ethical standards.
I have served the APC
honestly and to the best of my ability and when I stood for and won my
election at the last convention; it was a keen desire to continue to do
so. However, in a situation whereby my loyalty is constantly brought
into question; my subordinates deployed to subvert my office; and my
views constantly second-guessed on the basis of my political
affiliation, it has become imperative for me to review my position.
Since
assuming office as the spokesman of the party, I have tried to set a
new template for public political communications in a way that departs
from the vulgar abuse and verbal aggression of the recent past, where
cheap lies and crude propaganda were normalised as politics, and even
celebrated as measures of competence. Unfortunately, those who felt I
was not “forceful enough” framed my ethical disposition as evidence of a
lack of commitment to the party.
The unlawful dissolution of the
validly elected party executive in Kwara State earlier in the week was
only another phase in the unrelenting assault I have had to endure. As a
national officer of the party, who sits in that Committee, courtesy
should demand that my views be sought on a matter that concerns my state
and in which I am directly involved. That action was, to say the least,
disrespectful.
Quite recently, we all took the oath to do
justice to all and not allow personal interests to interfere with our
official responsibilities. With this obviously presumptuous action, and
the decision to appoint as chairman of caretaker committee, the same man
who had emerged as the chairman from the parallel congress in my State,
the NWC has taken sides, violated its oath office and subverted its own
credibility as an impartial arbiter. Yet, these are the same people
that have continued to insinuate that others are serving interests other
than those of the party.
Politics is local, and my personal
stake in the issue of Kwara makes it incongruous for me to continue to
sit as part of the working committee of the party. Clearly, I cannot
continue to function as the spokesman of a party whose expectations of
that role is incompatible with my personal principles. In the same
token, I can no longer justify to myself that I should remain in a party
which has now made it clear to the world that the political group that I
belong is no longer wanted, and which has hung my membership of that
group as an albatross around my neck.
Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi
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