Jacob Mark, a former legal adviser to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other PDP members now aligning themselves with the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress, ADC, as mere “window shoppers” who, in his view, should not be taken seriously.
Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Thursday, Mark criticised Atiku for what he described as a pattern of political inconsistency, accusing him of constantly switching parties in pursuit of a presidential ticket.
He asserted that he could not take Atiku seriously until he officially resigned from PDP and formally joined ADC.
“Anyone who has not resigned from his political party and is moving up and down, he’s in SDP today, he’s in ADA tomorrow, he’s now in ADC, should not be taken seriously,” Mark said.
When asked directly whether Atiku falls into that category, Mark replied, “Until he resigns from the PDP, I will not take him seriously.”
He further argued that it is unconstitutional for Atiku to simultaneously pursue presidential nominations from both PDP and ADC.
“You can’t be shopping for a presidential ticket in ADC and shopping for a presidential ticket in PDP at the same time. That is not allowed by law. You can’t shop in two different political parties, you must belong to one,” the PDP ex-legal adviser stated.
Referencing Atiku’s history of party defections, Mark accused the former Vice President of setting a precedent for political recklessness within PDP.
He said, “It has been happening since 2009 or so, particularly in 2011, when Atiku Abubakar, with five other governors, walked out of the PDP convention and formed an alliance with the opposition party at that time.
“They went shopping, they lost the election and then came back to the PDP and nothing happened to them.
“That’s the foundation of political rascality that has not been punished. People walk in and out every time, you’ll go where you want, come back and receive presidential ticket and when it doesn’t suit you again, you walk away, when you go there and lose you come back again and you’ll be accommodated in the party without consequences.”
Mark concluded by stating that such behaviour has contributed to the problem of anti-party activities that continue to plague the former ruling party.
