No internal democracy in ANPP – Bello

By Suzan Edeh

KANO—Senator Muhammad Adamu Bello, has explained that the absence of internal democracy in All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, forced him to defect to the  Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Senator Adamu Bello, who won a seat into the Upper Chambers on the platform of ANPP in 2007 general election, stated  the leadership of his former party in Kano  State rather than embarking on fair contest had made up its mind on who would contest certain positions in the party.

The Senator stated that  such position with its attendant consequences were inimical to the growth  and development of  democracy, pointing out that grassroots support had been compromised.

He declared that “right now, the ANPP has already made up its mind on who is going to be their governorship candidate here in Kano in 2011. This is surprising because internal democracy is one of the things that are responsible for the development of democracy in its entirety.”

Senator Bello who hosted journalists in his residence in Kano, said that the norms had been compromised and that teeming supporters had equally been denied their inalienable right.

“You need to have internal democracy to be able to produce candidates that supporters of the party are interested in. But when you impose candidates on them, you would definitely face all kinds of difficulties. We have seen this happen in many states where imposition was overturned by the courts,”  Bello stressed.

Senator Bello who was earlier given a red carpet treatment by the leadership of PDP in Kano, promised to work  with the PDP to achieve electoral victory in the coming general elections.

The chairman, Kano chapter of PDP in a speech, challenged members to rededicate themselves and work together as one, noting this would help the party.