Dogara, No. 4 Citizen, Dumps APC, Picks PDP Nomination Forms

• Says nobody can retire him politically

Shola Oyeyipo in Abuja

The Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, wednesday picked the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) expression of interest and nomination forms to bid for a return to the House in 2019.

A reliable source told THISDAY that the speaker, who is the number 4 in the country’s order of protocol, sent one of his trusted aides to pick the forms, a day after his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), close collection of nomination forms.

Dogara’s action signifies that he has finally dumped the ruling party for the main opposition one.
He had told journalists on Tuesday that he had agreed to re-contest the Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa federal constituency seat but failed to signify the platform he intended to use.

Dogara, who made his intention known when members of his constituents, who feared that he might not be willing to re-contest having served 12 years, visited his Abuja home, said he accepted the request of his constituents and would seek re-election.

He appreciated the show of support from his people, who travelled all the way from Bogoro, Dass and Tafawa Balewa local government areas in Bauchi State to Abuja, mocking those, who he said are working to truncate his future political ambition.

“Some people said they will retire us from politics, but we want to inform them that only God and the electorate can retire us,” he said.

He told the multitude that visited him, “Because you came, because of your sacrifice, I want to announce to you that I will run to once again represent our constituency. I will soon come to meet you at home to make this formal.

“I am shocked and surprised because I never thought or imagined that when I woke up today I will see this mammoth crowd in my house.

“I am seeing faces of people we started this journey with since 2007. I pray God to reward you for this sacrifice. I was almost tired having been doing the same thing for almost 12 years now.
“But in recent days I started hearing some rumours and some people were already celebrating that I will not run again. Nobody can impose leadership on you. Only you our people can choose who will represent you.

“I want to assure you that whatever you want us to do is what we will do. Those who have said that they will retire us from politics I want to tell them that we have just begun.
“We will continue to attract development to our area; build roads, hospitals, schools, and create opportunities for our people to thrive.”

The leaders of the group that visited Dogara’s Abuja home, Alhaji Murtala Miyetti Allah, Mrs. Keziah Dare and Mr Bulus Iliya Bully, told the speaker that their visit was at the behest of the people of the constituency, who sent them to appeal to him to re-contest.

“I cried bitterly when I heard that you won’t contest again but am very happy now having seen you. Please continue to represent us. You have done so much for our people. You empowered women and youths”, Dare said.

Bully, on his part said: “The people you are seeing are here because you have done well for us. We never expected the kind of development we are experiencing in our area.”