PDP BoT Chairman Clarifies Comments on Scheme

The Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Walid Jubrin, on Sunday clarified that his comment on the controversial RUGA livestock policy should be seen as a position of a Fulani leader, and not in the context of him being the chairman of the PDP BoT.

Moreover, he said his party, the PDP, has not taken any position on the controversial RUGA policy, therefore, he has not controverted any position of his party.

Jubrin’s position on has attracted condemnations from the Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Middle Belt Elders Forum, and the Pan- Yoruba Cultural Group, Afenifere.

While further reacting on the issue yesterday at a press conference, the PDP leader said: “Firstly, Nigerians should realise that I am a full-blooded Fulani man-the Sarkin Fulani of Nasarawa state-an elder statesman and an industrialist. I have over two million Fulani people who look up to me as their leader. I need to speak for them, and if I refuse to talk, they can remove me as their leader.

“I am a founding member of the PDP, who rose from a ward leader, local government leader, zonal leader, state leader to become an ex-officio member. I became Deputy Financial Secretary, National Financial Secretary, which made me a member of the National Working Committee (NWC); a BoT member, BoT Secretary and now, a BoT chairman.

“Based on the above, I can make a personal statement on any issue. My statement on was to my Fulani people as their leader, the Sarkin Fulani, and it was purely a personal statement. It is not connected with my position as BoT chairman or with the PDP as a party.”

The PDP chieftain further stated: “I am an ardent adherent of the official decisions of my party, which is yet to take a stand on Ruga. I have never gone contrary to the decision of my party. I am a respecter of the party’s constitution.”

On what actually informed his position on Jubrin said: “is not for APC or PDP. The two parties accommodate Fulani and herdsmen. There is no need drawing a line between APC Fulani and PDP Fulani. When we talk of Fulani, we are one and the same. Anything that is good for the Fulani people is good for me because I am their leader. But I will never support any Fulani involved in a conflict, killings, kidnapping and any other form of evil.”