By Laleye Dipo in Minna
The Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), one of the registered political parties in the country, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State have fused into one entity, a few weeks to the presidential election.
All the executive members of the party, including hundreds of supporters Saturday joined the PDP, pledging their support for the presidential candidacy of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the governorship aspiration of Umar Mohammed Nasko.
It was however not known if the governorship candidate of the party joined the bandwagon, but all the 11 ward chairmen in Chanchaga Local Government Saturday moved into the PDP to confirm the decision of both parties to work together.
The PDM is believed to be formed by the former vice-president and PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Abubakar.
Alhaji Suleiman Alhassan, the Chanchaga Local Government Chairman of the PDM, said: “Our decision to pitch tent with PDP is borne out of our conviction that the PDP is the only party that has the capacity to bring all Nigerians together for peace and development irrespective of ethnic and religious differences.
“PDP is the only party that has the interest of the masses at heart. It is the only party that can reduce the current rate of unemployment and hardship in the country. This is why we decided to join the party.”
Alhassan assured the PDP that they would work assiduously to ensure total victory for PDP candidates at all levels in the forthcoming elections.
The chairman of the local government, Alhaji Jamilu Saidu, lamented that Nigeria and Niger State had witnessed an unprecedented retrogression in all aspects since the All Progressives Congress (APC) government came into office.
According to Saidu, the country “is presently faced by extreme hunger resulting in people killing themselves. The security situation has worsened unemployment, especially among the youths, has reached a frightening dimension”.
He also blamed the present APC government for “creating sharp division among the various ethnic groups in the country”, pointing out that “only Atiku Abubakar could redress the situation”.
He said the state chairman of the the PDP, Alhaji Tanko Beji, would soon receive the former PDP members and defectors from other political parties but urged them to be committed to this just course.
