Ex-PDP Legal Adviser: Don’t Take Atiku Seriously Unless He Quits the Party

Jacob Mark, the former PDP legal adviser, has advised Nigerians to wait for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to leave the main opposition party before taking him seriously in his coalition party.

According to Mark, who spoke on Arise TV on Thursday, it is unconstitutional for someone to be a member of two political parties simultaneously.

Atiku and other individuals who haven’t quit their previous parties were referred to as window shoppers by the PDP chieftain.

“Atiku should not be taken seriously until he leaves the PDP,” he stated. For that reason, you cannot simultaneously be looking for a presidential ticket in the PDP and the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The law prohibits that. Shopping for two distinct political parties is not possible. You have to be a part of one.

Speaking about the party’s lack of internal democracy and discipline, he claimed that it began in 2014 when members like Atiku left the party and were not disciplined when they rejoined.

“If you dare not try that in our time, we’ll expel you,” he continued. I am aware that when I served under Amodu Ali, we dismissed senators and governors who attempted to engage in such behavior, moving around and endorsing opposition parties before returning whenever it was opportune. We would show you the exit.

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“But without a doubt, those who succeeded us denigrated the party, its disciplinary apparatus, and turned it into a laughing stock.” Because we have often witnessed people acting boldly in ways that are wholly contrary to the party.

“Someone runs for office as a senator or member of the House of Representatives, loses, and then leaves.” He walks against the primary winner by joining a different party. He had the audacity to rejoin the same PDP after the election and start running for office again. After our time, we have witnessed that over and again. It’s also depressing.

“Our operational machinery has failed internally. It is not anyone’s fault; rather, it is the failure of those who were in charge of organizing the party. Many people are aware of what was accomplished while we were in office, even after some of us have left.

“What is being done today is not something you can do. The All Progressives Congress (APC) was founded in 2015 and 2014 by powerful people, or so-called persons. Additionally, they contributed to the APC’s victory in the 2015 election. Oddly, they returned to the PDP after that and have been having trouble running for office. In a sensible setting, how do you do that? After that behavior, they should have been expelled. These kinds of incidents are inevitable, as I mentioned, because those in charge of affairs are confused and compromised.

People continue to openly express their animosity toward the PDP and work against it financially, mentally, and psychologically, but they nevertheless return and run for office on the party’s ticket. It is unconstitutional and unacceptable.

“You cannot disregard your internal guidelines and hope for the best. Due to misbehavior, anti-party activities, and a lack of discipline, the PDP has lost numerous elections. The party’s dismal fortunes have been caused by internal shortcomings.

“Until we see seriousness on the part of the leaders of today, people won’t take those warnings that were issued some days ago seriously, because a lot of water has passed under the bridge,” he stated in response to the party leadership’s cautions a few days prior. Individuals are free to become their own owners and party members, yet they are still able to act and behave whatever they like and still attend parties. It is unimaginable.