Ex-Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Maryam Inna Ciroma, has chided latter day leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for elevating selfish interests to the detriment of the party and democracy.
Ciroma, who was at one time National Woman Leader of the PDP, said this at a press conference and Diaspora Grassroots Engagement Parley, organized by the Directorate of Diaspora And Foreign Missions of PDP Rescue Mission International, in Abuja, on Tuesday.
She specifically lamented PDP’s departure from the ideals of its founding fathers.
According to her, the PDP was formed to promote inclusive democracy which will serve as a basis for rapid national growth; an ideal which those at the helm of affairs have since abandoned for a system which promotes selfishness and greed.
The Ex-Minister also accused Nigeria elites, particularly leaders of political parties, of putting their selfish interests over and above those of their various parties ,thus destroying the very fabric of the parties.
She said, “The basis for the formation of PDP has crashed because when the PDP was formed, it was it was called Peoples Democratic Party.
“The people that started the party were very passionate about democracy. “They stood and fought the military to ensure that Nigeria returns to democracy.
“Unfortunately, as it is now, there is no democracy, not even in Nigeria as a whole. All our political parties are not democratic.
” So, Nigerians especially the elites, will have to stand up and look at this issue of democracy in Nigeria. You can see that in some countries they hold democracy seriously as if it is their religion.
“Go to America, as far as they are concerned, democracy is Number one. But here in Nigeria we have thrown democracy away.
“We are not talking of fairness, we are not talking of justice. Our party, when it was formed, it was with the belief that Nigeria needs a united a party.
“That’s why our symbol is umbrella. People’s interest have overtaken the interest of the party and the interest of Nigeria.
Also speaking at the event, the Director-General of the PDP Rescue Mission International, Comrade Vic-Morrow Ulo explained that the mission of his group is to reform, rebuild and return PDP to its winning ways by ensuring that in the eyes of its members and public.
He said, “PDP is seen as a rules based political party, distinctively different from others and fully aligned to the provisions of her constitution and that of the country.
“The PDP Rescue Mission International has an approach which is driven by a redemptive and transformative agenda and focused on getting PDP transformed into a strong rules based political party, which is equally answerable to the yearnings of Nigerians.
“If there is anything we must be mindful about, it is the fact that the younger generation has lost confidence in the PDP of today”.