Mike Okibe Onoja defects to SDP after losing PDP ticket to Abba Moro, gives reasons

Read full statement here:

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PDP TO SDP: Our Pact with Destiny..

My dearest friends and supporters

In the last few days, I’ve been inundated with calls and messages from people seeking to know the outcome of the PDP Senatorial Primaries which I took part in.

Regardless how the process has turned out, I am greatly humbled by your show of support and solidarity, and I will never take it for granted. I am further encouraged to continue in this quest knowing that I can always count on you to stand with me every step of the way. I am convinced that all you’ll require of me in the circumstance is the true position of what has transpired.

In every democratic process, there are Rules of Engagement. When these rules are arbitrarily flouted, it gives room for impunity to fester. As a party that claims to change the change, necessity was placed on the a people Democratic Party (PDP) as a party and all its handlers to demonstrate the good conducts that make democracy the widely accepted best form of government.

Unfortunately these Rules of Engagement were not adhered to and agents of anarchy were allowed to overreach their duties in their unholy quest to install their preferred stooges. This to say the least, went a long way in subverting the wishes of the people and denying them the opportunity to freely choose who should fly their party flag.

Relatively, I have had cause to complain privately and openly to the party leadership and my key supporters on the unwholesome activities of the David Mark, Abba Morro in conspiracy with the electoral committee and on all occasions, I was given assurances and guarantees that the process will be devoid of undue interference and that I had nothing to fear in the process.

As someone who has given his ‘sweat’ and ‘blood’ to the party, I had no reason to believe that I will be betrayed and grassed in a brazen manner that not only denigrated my sacrifices in building the party, PDP over the years but also rubbished democracy and everything the party stands for.

When I decided to run for the office of the Senate and having agreed with leaders of the party and friends, the first person that reached out to me was David Mark who pleaded me to return and run under PDP having heard of my move to SDP. I must state that I got the best of commendation and assurance from him.

Alot of infractions has happened and instances of their underhand dealings were has became public, I kept in touch with the leaders of the party who had given me their words that the process will be free, fair, credible and transparent regardless of my suspicion of what they will be indulging in.

It is telling that while all these shenanigans lasted, the people who gave me their word did nothing to abort this slap on my face neither did they frown at the rape of democracy.

In all these, I refrained from open confrontation of words not for incapacity but because of the interest of of Benue Zone C which I hold sacrosanct. I blatantly refused to fight back knowing what transpired in 2015 primaries. I refused to allow my supporters make a fist. I stopped my media managers from engagements. A good number of my supporters were eager to match them violence for violence but as a man who believes in peace, as a loyal party man who has paid his dues in every sense of the word, as a man who is completely sold out to the Zone C struggle, I have huge stake I cannot toy with this time around. But unfortunately, I was in a battle with men who had nothing to lose, nothing to refrain from and no general interest to protect.

The way it is today, it’s dawned on me that the refusal of the party leaders to call the intrusive “maniplicators” to order, might be because they had their covert support to undermine my candidacy.

Such betrayal from a party for the second time that I’ve given my sweat and blood without reservation, is most unfair. I was not asking for an automatic ticket, I was only asking to contest on a level playing field without overbearing interference and influence. I am therefore left with the only conclusion that suggests itself ‘that they covertly supported the brazen impunity and disregard for due process orchestrated by David Mark and Abba Morro.

I am proud to say that I served PDP with unblemished loyalty and integrity even in the face of severe temptation before 2015 from those who accused me on the path of betraying Zone C Apa State creation by contesting against David Mark in 2015. My sincerity, dedication and commitment to PDP was total and extremely unquestionable and I can take pride in my efforts regardless of this outcome.

Given another opportunity, I will not give less because I was trained to give my best to any cause I believe in.

THE WAY FORWARD

In deciding my political future therefore, I am guided by what is the best interest of my people. I will not be in politics if not for my people and any decision that goes against their interest will not have my support.

In 2015, I unsuccessfully vied to represent ‘Zone C’ at the Senate. The respective aspirations were aborted first by what was termed ‘Return Return’ Senate Presidency and Apa State creation.
Between then and now, things have worsened for my people. Infrastructure has decayed abysmally and poverty has increased astronomically. I am even more convinced that my services are much more needed today given the dire condition of things in Benue Zone C. Only a man with my capacity and character, experience and expertise, can provide the kind of leadership needed to turn things around for my people.

Those who were given opportunity failed woefully and those who are jostling for the office, will not do any better because they too, lack the capacity to offer meaningful representation that will reposition Zone C. I have the requisite skills, the needed exposure, the appropriate education, the right contact and network to maximize the platform of the National Assembly to the overall benefit of my people.

For this reason, I will not relent in my quest to bring succour to my people. I hereby announce that I shall run for the 2019 Senate election under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). I have resigned my membership of PDP without bitterness or anger. I have moved forward and forgiven those who feel that they can thwart my destiny. My confidence is in knowing that the will of God always prevails over the affairs of men. This is by no means an easy decision knowing that SDP is not a very popular platform in my constituency. But, it is people that build a party and I’ll spare no efforts in building SDP into a viable platform that will galvanize our people into the collective duty of electing the right representative. If we did it in PDP, we can do it in SDP.

It is also very important that I state very clearly that regardless of what has happened, and bearing in mind that the interest of our state comes first, my support for my people remains sacrosanct and unshakeable. I had long committed to the well-being Benue State Zone C into prosperity and that commitment still stands. Because I share in thier vision and dreams for our dear constituency, I will commit my energy and resources to ensuring that we all succeeds in our resolve to emancipate Benue State Zone C. I also wish to state that I do not have any problem with David Mark and Abba Morro.

They planned well with Hon. Emmanuel Agbo, John Ugbede and others to scuttle my ambition but that does not make us enemies. I will expect him, together with other candidates, to showcase their credentials, capacity to do the job of a legislator and acceptance by our people in the most civilised way. I will not expect that we will come out to insult ourselves bearing in mind that it’s not all about politics. We still have our lives to live beyond politics. This same advice, I expect should trickle down to our supporters and media handlers. They hardly can insult unless they have our express or implied nudge.

Permit me now to thank the Leadership and members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the quality of reception they gave me. Going there was like a reunion with people I have been very close to; Chief Olu Falae, Prof Jerry Gana, His Excellency, Donald Duke, Prof Tunde Aderian and Eng. John Enemari.

May I kindly request that you continue to support me in my desire to bring the much needed change to our people. I believe that with your kind support, I will win the race for Senate contest to Represent the Good People of Benue South ( Zone C) Federal Constituency, regardless the platform.

God bless you