PDP Extols Late President Yar’Adua; Reinforces Demand for Rule of Law, Credible Elections

By Adesina Soyooye

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described the late President Umaru Yar’Adua as a pride to Nigeria, and a man who upheld the rule of law.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, on Thursday, to mark the anniversary of Yar’Adua’s passing, the PDP extolled the qualities of the late President, acknowledging his humility, and legacies.

The Party, particularly, praised his penchant for upholding the rule of law, and hailed him as a man of peace.

Yar’Adua, a former Governor of Katsina State, in 2007, succeeded President Olusegun Obasanjo in office. But he was a sick man, and, died in office midway into his four-year tenure.

He was succeeded by his Deputy, Goodluck Jonathan, who, after completing the remaining two years of the Yar’Adua Presidency, contested and won, in his own right, a four year tenure. He, however, lost his bid for a second term in office to the then General Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

Following is the full text of PDP’s statement.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remembers with nostalgia the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (President of Nigeria 2007-2010) who gave his all and died in the service of our dear fatherland, Nigeria.

“Late President Yar’Adua was a beloved leader and exceptionally courageous, humble, honest, forthright and dependable statesman, whose legacies in stabilizing our nation particularly in instilling the Rule of Law, equity and peaceful co-existence in line with the manifesto of the PDP remain unparalleled.

“He was an unrelenting advocate of the Rule of Law, who dignified the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by promptly executing Orders of Court in line with his Oath of Office even when such Orders are not favourable to his interest or that of his Party.

“Yar’Adua was a detribalized Nigerian, an angel of peace who manifestly loved Nigerians without regard to ethnic, religious, class or political considerations and placed the peace, unity and wellbeing of the people above every other interest.

“Despite his personal challenges, President Yar’Adua stood firm in the defense of truth, justice, fairness and laid a solid foundation for electoral reforms and credible elections in Nigeria.

“His avowed commitment to the unity and peaceful co-existence of our nation is legendry through his Amnesty Programme which brought relative peace to the then restive Niger Delta region of the country and set the nation on the path of social and economic sustainability.

“Indeed, our nation will continue to miss late President Yar’Adua as a leader with a heart for the people as envisioned by our founding fathers.

“The PDP in remembering late President Yar’Adua urges Nigerians to insist on the Rule of Law and credible elections in our country by actively participating in the on-going electoral process and voting en masse in the 2023 general elections to Rescue Nigeria from misrule and rudderlessness

“Our Party salutes the widow of the Late President Yar’Adua and the entire Yar’Adua family for their courage and steadfastness in upholding the virtues, values and legacies of the departed President.”