by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
Nigeria’s judiciary has been cautioned to “stay away” from meddling in internal party issues “because they cannot go to anybody’s home and claim ownership.”
An aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who is contesting Jos/Bassa Federal House of Representatives, James Yakubu, disclosed this in an interview with Journalists shortly after commissioning his Campaign Office, at Tafawa Balewa, in Jos North Local Government Area over the weekend.
While acknowledging that, the founding fathers of that particular object know what is best for that institution, James Yakubu asserted that, “So, let’s just let the judiciary stay off and let the system work.
“But, I believe we are heading to a newer dimension. I believe Nigeria will begin to see transparency,” he said.
According to him, “Today was the opening of a brand new office. It’s a PDP family Office; so, all of us can have a place to work, harmonize, and do the things that we need to do to. Our aspirants coming up from the Assembly, chairmanship, councilor, senator, governor – whatever we have, we will bring it on board.
“With God, I believe we will prevail; but we have to understand that, if you go for four years, you bring it back here for four years. That is why I am ginger of coming out now. If that understanding was not on the table, I wouldn’t even bother myself.”
Hon. Yakubu pointed out that, “Bassa are running up by God’s grace. It’s unfortunate what happened to one of my best, my brother, my friend, Aga. Aga was elected by the people and the system took it away from him. And the constituents, Jos/Bassa, sat and said, ‘This city is still in Bassa,’” he retorted.
“Let’s go and look for somebody from Bassa. And we have Asama doing it now. With the support of PDP, Asama didn’t go there from the party. Asama lost in his party.
“The PDP brought him out from Bassa. PDP then would have said, ‘Let’s get somebody from Jos North,’ but because it was not Jos North time, it was Bassa. So, Asama is finishing. And that’s why we joined Jos North that way.
“That is why we are begging Bassa to understand to allow go. With this agreement, I believe that in any thing you do, you must have people that will be rebellious.”
Hon. James Yakubu further explained that, at the end of the day, the system of the primary will speak: if it’s Bassa or Jos North, it will be known.
He stressed, thus: “If I am being elected, I believe, they will expect the best. Why? Because for someone that has lived abroad for 30 years and has seen the way things work, I can tell you that, first, my heart goes to everyone that has been bereaved.
“We’ve had so much killings and destructions. But we need leadership. We need leaders that could take the bull by the horn. We don’t need to deceive ourselves.”
He disclosed.
The Aspirant disclosed further that, “There’s just one way to face what’s going on, and when we face it one way; it will never happen again and, honestly, these are part of my yearnings that are driving me to go to National Assembly.
“This is a journey that I have been pushing for the last 23 years. I came out looking for National Assembly in 2003. We didn’t make it through to the final election. We lost, but we gave glory to God.
“I came out again as a PDP candidate, and, from then until now, it’s about 17 years ago. And I said, I’m going to give it one more shot. So, I decided that I’m going to come out again and run for Jost North/Bassa Federal constituency.
“This is because I believe we have this understanding that once our brothers in Bassa have it, Jos North will have it. So, I think we have that, and that’s why I’m here. I’m coming out with the support of my two children and my school,” he noted.
According to Hon. Yakubu, “PDP is alive, PDP is strong. We are committed to PDP. It’s a structure that we have always believed in. And that’s why we in the northern zone, our structures were intact.”
The aspirant assuring that, they have nothing against their governor defecting to APC, but noted that, “We in PDP, in the grassroots, we said we have a principle of loyalty. That’s why we decided to stay where we are. But we wish him well. You know, power comes from God and God alone.
“All I can say to Nigerians – being someone that has lived abroad for over 30 years – is that “Our people are only earning for a free, credible, and transparent election,” he stated, and called on all Nigerians to pray for all the INEC staffs that they should do what is right.
He said, “The joy of democracy: democracy is ‘for the people, for the people, for the people;’ so, the essence of people coming out a lot to look for positions is very unique.
“We are all fantastic, young, vibrant human beings. But the key to it is that your antecedents in what you are looking for will speak and showcase your genius about what you are doing, If you go around the world, you can see our people, it’s all over.
“Today, you have witnessed the solidarity of people coming; and I’ve been in this journey, this is the third time, and I’m grateful to God because I have always been victorious in my primary election, and I am grateful to God,” he stated.
Hon. James Yakubu revealed that, “The ten of us, we are all wonderful people; we are just like marketers. We need to go and sell ourselves to the constituencies, to the wards. At the end of the day, let God’s will prevail. So, that is that.”
Some party members, who spoke to Journals – one Stephen Lawrence Bako, from Bassa Luka Gwame, from Gurum Ward, Federal Ward of Bassa Local Government Area – stated that, “James Yakubu has been a strong and active PDP member from the onset, in his ward and in his local government.
“And then, his own aspiration currently has ignited so many of our aspirations, too, that have been laid low due to the fact that what have been happening at the federal level, we are hoping that the zoning system will now favour him.
“He, being a very consistent member of the party, he can pull out crowd. If he is given the mandate, he will deliver. No opposition has ever won again since the last five elections, aside from PDP, except, if they will go to court and claim ownership.”