**2015 ELECTION** PDP Is Losing Out, Says Atiku. **Why we sacked Tukur, others-Ex-VP

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, threw light on the emergence of a new National Working Committee for the PDP. He said the party had derailed from its mission and was being run by those who lack knowledge of party politics. Atiku, dressed in a white babanriga, savoured the moment as the seven governors and party leaders conceded to him the right to answer journalists’ questions after the speech of the factional National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje. He cited alleged frustration in the land and said the generality of Nigerians are disappointed with the PDP administration. His words: “Today is a very historic day in the life of our party. It is also a day of mixed feelings. It could also be a day of happiness. It could also be a sad day. “Sad because the party we conceived in 1998 to be a rallying point for all Nigerians to be a source of unity, to be a party that will fulfil the aspirations of Nigerians, has today been dragged down by people who don’t even understand what party politics is all about. I have always been trying to draw the attention of leaders of our party, and the leaders of government that this democratic dispensation is supposed to make things better for the people of this country. Let us not deceive ourselves, the country is full of frustrations; the country is full of anger; full of disappointment. “Therefore, we have a responsibility to see how we can reform our great party so that those lofty ideals, lofty goals can be achieved. They cannot be achieved by the present leadership of the party. “It cannot be achieved even by the presidency.”He said that he had always emphasized that the party was headed in the wrong direction. “We are losing the party, we are losing the government, and for these very courageous people seated here, this idea was mooted to see whether we still have men with courage and determination to get up and stand up.” He appealed to other party members to join them to restore what he called “the values of the founding fathers of this party.”