Former Vice President and presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has said that tolerance for dissenting views and opponents remains an integral component of democracy.
The former Vice President made the assertion last night in reaction to President Goodluck Jonathan’s threat, which was ostensibly a reaction to the former Vice President’s widely reported comment on the consequences of resisting change.
Atiku had at the National Stakeholders Conference warned that “those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.” He had also added that “this (violent change) is not what we want for Nigeria.”
In a statement by his Campaign Organisation in Abuja last night, the former Vice President said that he and his supporters will not be intimidated or deterred in the commitment to ensure that the PDP abides by its zoning arrangement in line with the party’s amended constitution.
Atiku is a democrat who has at all times toed the path of constitutionality and rule of law in advancing the cause of democracy and therefore can no not be recommending a path that is at variance with his long life struggles to deepen democracy in Nigeria.
He said that his comment at the National Stakeholders’ Conference on Wednesday was borne out of historical reality when the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy warned against the consequences of making peaceful change impossible.
He maintained that the statement should be taken in its historical context in terms of bitter experiences injustice has caused around the world, and as evidenced in the looming crisis in Cote d’Ivoire.
He noted that it was a patriotic admonition to all stakeholders to exercise maximum restraint and avoid desperate actions which might spell avoidable consequences for Nigeria’s corporate entity.
“As a responsible and dignified statesman, Atiku will never resort to scare-mongering or any anti-social action which can undermine Nigeria’s co-existence,” the statement added.
“As a responsible and dignified statesman, Atiku will never resort to scare-mongering or any anti-social action which can undermine Nigeria’s co-existence,” the statement added.
The PDP presidential aspirant argued that accusing him of causing tension is like putting the saddle on the wrong horse.
According to him, no Nigerian leader in recent memory has caused so much bitterness, division, suspicions and animosity among Nigerians like President Goodluck Jonathan because of his ambition to run in 2011.
Atiku recalled that a serving federal minister in this administration once threatened that Nigeria could face dire consequences if President Jonathan was forced out of the presidential race.
He wondered how a president that tore the PDP apart and caused so much bitterness within his own ruling party because of his ill-advised ambition could turn round and accuse anyone else of causing tension.
He wondered how a president that tore the PDP apart and caused so much bitterness within his own ruling party because of his ill-advised ambition could turn round and accuse anyone else of causing tension.
The presidential aspirant asked his critics to appeal to the conscience of President Jonathan to lead by example.
The statement recalled that with previous scheming to hang a badge of infamy on
the necks of his political opponents over the October 1, 2010 bomb blasts, the
latest attacks on Atiku was a typical desperate measure to divert attention and
blame opponents for causing tension in the country.
the necks of his political opponents over the October 1, 2010 bomb blasts, the
latest attacks on Atiku was a typical desperate measure to divert attention and
blame opponents for causing tension in the country.
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