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Ali Abare, Gombe
Sen. Saidu Umar Kumo, one-time National Secretary of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Director-General, Dankwambo 2015 Campaign Organisation, has announced his resignation as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Kumo made his intention known during a brief interaction with journalists, on Monday, in Gombe.
He, however, said he is yet to join any political party, stressing that he would take time to study the political terrain before making a decision.
“I’m not declaring for any political party for now. I want to take my time to study the political terrain before taking my decision. Whether I will join my political friends so that we can come back to Gombe and see what we can start again,” he said.
Kumo said it became necessary to inform the general public as well as members of the party both within and outside the state of his decision to quit the PDP.
“The purpose of this press briefing is to inform the general public, especially members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Gombe State, North East political zone and Nigeria at large that today, 27 January 2018, I, Senator Saidu Umar Kumo, Garkuwan Gombe, cease to be a member of the PDP. I have withdrawn my membership,” he said.
He further disclosed his intention to inform the branch of the party at the ward and local government levels on his decision to leave the PDP, adding that his departure would create opportunities for others particularly in Gombe State who may assume his presence was a stumbling block to achieving their goals.
Kumo, however, alleged Governor Dankwambo pushed him out of the PDP.
“First of all, I’m not needed at the state level. The governor does not need me in PDP. I have not use to them. They did everything humanely possible to push me out of the party. Being a politician, I better give way, so that those who think I’m a stumbling block can have their way,” he said.
He also accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of ‘turning the PDP into a parastatal in 2003 after he made governors leaders of the party.’
“You can’t be anything without the approval of the governor. I’m fed up with this one-way traffic in Gombe,” Kumo lamented.
Sen. Kumo contested for Gombe State governorship seat in 2011 under the ANPP. Shortly afterwards he joined the PDP.
Investigations by Daily Sun revealed that Kumo contested for the position of Deputy National Chairman, North of the PDP at the recently concluded national convention of the party and lost.
Reacting over Kumo’s resignation from the PDP, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Umaru Suleiman, denied that Governor Dankwambo was responsible for his leaving the party.
Suleiman dismissed claims that Kumo and his principal had frosty relationship.
“If Dankwambo does not like him, he wouldn’t have appointed him as his campaign coordinator. There were many others fit to be appointed but Dankwambo appointed him,” he said.
Suleiman also said Kumo belonged to the Ali Modu Sherrif faction of the party and might have left the party based on his selfish interest.
