Maku blasts Jonathan's Men for calling him 'Ungrateful Animal'

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in Nasarawa State, Labaran Maku, has hit back at Senate President, David Mark, and a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP], Ahmadu Ali, for accusing him of betraying the party.

Maku, the immediate past Minister of Information, joined APGA to contest the Nasarawa governorship election, after losing to Yusuf Agabi in the PDP primaries in December last year. He cited injustice and fraudulent processes in the primary as the reasons for his defection.

But at the PDP campaign flag-off in Keffi last week, David Mark accused Maku of ingratitude and betrayal for leaving that PDP which brought him to limelight.

Similarly, on Tuesday, at the PDP presidential campaign, Ahmadu Ali, said Maku “will continue failing for the rest of his life” for leaving PDP after he was made deputy governor and minister “from nowhere.”

Top members of the PDP including President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President David Mark, disowned Mr. Maku, categorically saying the President does not support his defection or ambition to be governor. They declared their loyalty for PDP and asked Maku to beg for forgiveness and return to PDP.

But Maku, speaking through a statement by Zakari Edego, the Director, Media and Publicity of his campaign organisation, said the PDP leaders were jittery and panicky as a result of his exit from the party to emerge as APGA’s governorship candidate for Nasarawa State.

“The import of these attacks on the APGA governorship candidate clearly shows that there is panic in the PDP in Nasarawa State following the emergence of Mr. Maku as the flag-bearer of APGA,” the statement said.

“The real issue in Nasarawa state is that some people within and outside the state believe that no Christian should ever be governor of Nasarawa state. Therefore, Mr. Maku is being persecuted purely for religious reasons.

“The attacks on him are orchestrated to sustain the status quo in Nasarawa, which is already leading to destruction of the state by insurgents and mercenaries. This development portends danger to the future unity and development of Nasarawa state and our dear country.

“The Maku Campaign Organisation views the sustained attack against the APGA candidate as a desperate measure by some leaders of the PDP to distract him from campaigning to defeat their candidate and the incumbent in the upcoming governorship elections.”

He queried Mark’s anger over Maku's exit, while remaining silent on the defections in his state, Benue.