Jacob Mark, a former legal adviser to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other PDP members in the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC) as “window shoppers” who should not be taken seriously.
Mark, who appeared on Arise Television’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Thursday, said Atiku has been moving from one party to another seeking the presidential ticket, saying he can’t take him seriously until he resigns from the PDP and formally joins the 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.
Asked if Atiku is among those he doesn’t take seriously, Mark said, “Until he resigns from the PDP, I will not take him seriously.”
He explained that it is unconstitutional for Atiku to be shopping for a presidential ticket in the PDP and the ADC simultaneously.
“You can’t be shopping for a presidential ticket in ADC and shopping for president 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.
Citing Atiku’s previous defections, Mark criticised the former VP for repeatedly leaving the PDP to search for a presidential ticket in other parties, adding that the former Vice President laid the foundation for political rascality that usually goes unpunished in the PDP.
The party chieftain 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 the slot again, 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.”
According to Mark, this is the foundation of anti-party activities in the former ruling party.
