Niger State Governor,Dr. Babangida Aliyu, has said that the seven governors involved in the creation of the “New PDP” faction popularly called G-7 are not rebels but reformers within the Peoples Democratic party (PDP).
The seven governors including Aliyu; Governor Magatarkada Wamakko (Sokoto State); Governor Sule Lamido (Jigawa State); Governor Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano State); Governor Rotimi Amaechi (River State); Governor Murtala Nyako (Adamawa State) and Abdulfatar Ahmed (Kwara State) have been opposed to the leadership of the party led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur after they walked out of the party’s special convention in August.
Aliyu also said he will remain steadfast to the struggle to release the party from the stronghold of undemocratic elements within the PDP.
He maintained this when the executive committee the North Central zone, PDP Chaired by Yusuf Ayetogu visited him at Government House, Minna yesterday.
The Zonal Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Yusuf Ayetogu revealed that the motive of his team’s visit was to “persuade the governor on the need for him to sheathe his sword and move the party towards the path of unity”.
He also said the G7 governors in the party should not be seen as rebels but as reformers who were out to put the PDP on the right part.
Aliyu said: “What we are saying is that there is room for reform. The principle of democracy is that you cannot have it good at the top while the bottom is rotten.
“The fact that we have been in government for the past 14 years does not mean that we must be there perpetually. We are there because people have trust and confidence and believe that the party can help Nigerians to live peacefully but in a situation where autocracy is the order of the day… then some people must intervene and this is what some of us are doing.”
Governor Aliyu insisted that the issue the agreement President Goodluck Jonathan had with some PDP members to spend only a term in office would decided by Nigerians at the appropriate time.
He said: “Whether you agree that there is a promise or no promise; agreement or no agreement, it is okay. That is left for the people to decide.”
“Nobody can remove the President today unless God says so because he did not bring himself to power. The future is in the hands of God