Tukur: PDP, Parties Doomed without Discipline

 Bamanga Tukur

• Says younger generation cannot succeed without respect for elders

Chuks Okocha 
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Tuesday described discipline as the sole ingredient for the survival of politics, stating that no organisation would survive without it.
He also explained that younger politicians would not be able to survive without the experience of the older generations.

Tukur, who spoke through his 78 birthday message to Nigerians, which was signed by his Media Assistant, Oliver Okpala, said: “Discipline is a sine qua non to party politics.

Any organisation, which lacks the capacity or the moral authority to instil discipline in its members was doomed. The need for politicians to be disciplined cannot be overemphasised. We cannot expect Nigerians to entrust their destiny into the hands of politicians if the politicians do not believe themselves. Like Caesar’s wife, a politician must be above board in all ramifications.”

The PDP national chairman, who was advocating a blend between the old and new generation, said: “Our dear country will progress more rapidly with the right blend of old and young politicians. This will facilitate cross-fertilisation of ideas and frank exchange of view on how to move the country forward. No young generation which treats her old and experienced statesmen without respect and decorum ever succeeds.”

He also urged politicians not to overheat the polity by their actions, stressing that: “All politicians must behave responsibly and be discreet in their words and actions so as not to overheat the polity. Politics is a noble process and it is nobler when politicians play the game in line with the rules, the various party constitutions and of course, the supreme law, which is the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

He said having attained 78 years of age, it was high time he gave back to the society as he had benefitted from it.

“At my age, I feel obliged at this point to give back to the society the benefit of my experience. Experience, they say, is the best teacher and experience is a commodity of inherently high value. Experience counts. I want to appeal to younger politicians to show deserved respect to their senior compatriots. We, the older politicians, should not be written off yet or regarded as spent political forces. We are still relevant to the Nation and the younger politicians will benefit greatly from our experience, wise counsel, guidance and discipline,” Tukur said.

He called for peace and unity, explaining that without peace, development would be stalled.

“I preach peace to all politicians and Nigerians alike. Peace is invaluable. It is the minimum condition for development. It is the foundation for friendly and mutual concourse. It is perhaps the most important element requisite for meaningful and sustainable progress of any nation.

“Nigerians should eschew violence, terrorism, brigandage and lawlessness. Politicians should embrace peace so that we will all enjoy the dividends of our democracy in full,” he said.

Tukur also called on Nigerians to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda, “as he drives the Transformation Agenda of the federal government with the clear vision, mission and objective of holistically transforming the entire Nigerian social, economic, political and infrastructural landscape in order to make life more abundant and more meaningful for the Nigerian people.”