By Henry Umoru

ABUJA— NATIONAL leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, lampooned Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano for attacking President Goodluck Jonathan and Governors elected on the platform of the party, saying he should reflect and ever remain grateful to the party for giving him the platform to become a governor and a minister.

A statement by PDP national secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, PDP said, “Our attention has been drawn to the recent outburst by Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso wherein he poured vituperations on President Goodluck Jonathan and governors elected on the platform of our great party.

“Of particular note is his direct attack on the chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Governor Godswill Akpabio and other southern governors who accompanied the President to our unity rally in Kano State recently.

“Whilst the PDP recognizes the inalienable right of citizens to hold opinions and identify with political platforms of their choice, we indeed find it very difficult to understand the type of bitterness that has taken hold of an elected person like Governor Kwankwaso who hugely benefitted from the PDP on which platform he was twice elected governor in addition to being appointed minister.

“Ordinarily, we would have ignored him, but in the interest of the nation and our teeming supporters we are persuaded to post this response, put the records straight and expose the real intentions of Governor Kwankwaso.

“It is very shocking that an elected governor could show his inability to manage his political failures and miscalculations by condescending so low to attack governors from a section of the country even to the extent of describing his own colleagues as “vultures.”

“Kwankwaso has not only shown his aversion to the unity of the nation but also the agenda of his party, the APC, to attack well-meaning individuals and leaders as a means to cause confusion among Nigerians and destroy our oneness as a people.

“We wish to inform Kwankwaso that the PDP and our teeming supporters are aware of the plot by the APC to use people like him to cause disaffection among our leaders and destabilize our party, a plot which has already failed.

“It is common knowledge that the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Governor Godswill Akpabio, has remained completely loyal and committed to the PDP and the success of the President Goodluck Jonathan-led PDP administration. It is also public knowledge that Governor Akpabio is not interested in the Presidency or any other executive position for that matter. Instead, Governor Akpabio has declared his intention to run for the Senate in 2015.

“Rather than venting his frustration the wrong way, Governor Kwankwaso should learn from Akpabio and other PDP governors who have continued to deliver the dividends of democracy to their people,” the party added.