News Editor
During a routine visit to the State PDP secretariat, Lafia on Monday, famous Nasarawa state female political activist, Hajiya Farida Umar took out time to share her thoughts with the PDP Press Secretary.
She vows she will not leave the opposition PDP for any other party.
Hajiya Farida Umar who contested for the position of National Ex Officio of the PDP zoned to Nasarawa state but stepped down for Hon Beauty Aliyu Sudar at the eve of the poll in Jos, Plateau state last July, Farida said, those who left lack the democratic temerity.
Read her excerpt below:
“Why would anyone leave the PDP for a new party?
They were in the court to challenge the process. As democrats, I expected them to move on within the PDP instead of defecting to a new platform”.
But you were reportedly co-opted into the coalition. Why did you changed?
“They actually invited me to one of their meetings at Akwanga. I listen to them and told them PDP hasn’t done that bad to be deserted.
Instead, we should tolerate each other and apply democratic strategy to outwit opponents.
Before you could say Jack Robinson, they inscripted Hajiya Farida Umar as a member of the ADC steering c’mtee without my approval.
I am from Gayam, one of flash spot in the 2023 gubernatorial election.
Rather than leave, I will rather work with other committed stakeholders to deliver the PDP in this area in the next election.”
How?
What will you do differently in a place where men like Alh Hamza Ibrahim, the defected PDP PRO?
“I don’t want to go personal about Alh Hamza.
We won’t allow that nonsense to repeat itself in 2027. We are already mobilizing against it.
I was at Akurba ward weekend. We are reaching out to women groups for real votes.
We won’t allow them to rig us out like that again.
We are democrats, religion shouldn’t be the yardstick in electing leaders but their individual capacity.
Those leaving should rather work their mobilization skills towards wooing people across board.
I will work for whoever that emerges as the PDP gubernatorial candidate even if it’s Dr David Ombugadu or you [Hon IPAA] and I will expect you to also vote me [Hajiya Farida] if I win.”
On your personal relationship with the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar?
“With due respect, Alh Atiku Abukakar has played his part in politics, I have mine to.
Jumping from one party to the other won’t bring the desired results at my stage in politics.
You lost a quantum of followership each time you defect whether you return after losing or not.”
Any message for your supportters?
“As you can see, I am here to pay homage to my great party.
I have to quickly debunk the fake news that Hajiya Farida Umar has defected to ADC coalition.
I did that even when they were begging me not to go public.
Let them stay and work hard for the overall success of our great party, the PDP.
On our part, we are working hard to deliver.
ADC coalition won’t be a threat to the PDP in Nasarawa State because the umbrella is deeply rooted at the grassroot.
Those who left did so for their own personal reasons”.
