"You Can’t Serve Two Masters – Jacob Mark Slams PDP Members in Coalition as ‘Political Window Shoppers’"

 "You Can’t Serve Two Masters – Jacob Mark Slams PDP Members in Coalition as ‘Political Window Shoppers’"

"You Can’t Serve Two Masters – Jacob Mark Slams PDP Members in Coalition as ‘Political Window Shoppers’"

Jacob Mark, a former PDP legal counsel, has written a harsh critique of the present coalition negotiations, including some PDP members, calling them "political window shopping" rather than a genuine partnership.

 Mark was adamant in his rejection of what he called a faulty and illegal political tendency among confident party leaders in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday.

 "Being a member of two political parties is not possible.  "You have to be a part of one," he replied.  "I don't take people seriously when they claim to be in the PDP, doing coalition work, and then joining the ADC." 

Mark chastised those who are currently involved in coalition politics but have not formally left the PDP.  He emphasized that a real coalition cannot be formed by people working across party lines, but rather by an agreement between parties.

 "A successful coalition is one that is a working agreement between political parties, not individuals, especially those present in Abuja," he stated.

 When asked if well-known individuals like David Mark and Atiku Abubakar are considered political "window shoppers," Mark had a direct response, 

"David Mark quit, and I anticipate that everyone else who is genuine about the coalition will follow suit.  He's out window shopping, then.

 However, he clarified that some people still match that description, such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

"Yes, I will not take him seriously until he resigns, until he leaves the PDP, because it is impossible to be looking for a presidential ticket in both the ADC and the PDP at the same time.  The law prohibits that.

Mark also gave a direct assessment of the PDP's internal problems, accusing successive party leaders of undermining the party's disciplinary systems. 

He claimed that those who succeeded us had denigrated the party, its working apparatus, and its disciplinary system, turning it into a laughingstock.

"People walk in and out, come back, every time you go where you want, come back and take a slot in the PDP again," Mark said bluntly in response to the perennial problem of defection and the absence of penalties for anti-party actions.  You dare not try that now, in our day.  We'll kick you out.

"If Seyi Makinde comes out and he wins the primaries, I will support him," Mark said in response to a question on whether he would back Governor Seyi Makinde for president if he were to emerge as the PDP's nominee. 

Makinde's youth, track record in governance, and potential appeal were all lauded by him.

"I like him, and I've witnessed some of his actions.  He is younger than the majority of them, rushing up and down.

Mark, however, urged a shift away from hasty campaigning and toward administration.

"Now, two years into the current administration, the topic of the upcoming election dominates all political conversations.  And it seems ridiculous to me. 

He called on Nigeria's political elite to give public service more consideration.

Are Nigerians reaping the benefits of the democracy we profess to uphold?  Or will we consistently focus solely on elections?  I firmly believe that we should refocus our conversations on whether Nigeria is a better country under this democracy.