PDP crisis: Tukur to know fate Jan. 8

There were indications on Tuesday that the fate of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, would be determined  during the party’s National Executive Committee meeting  on January 8, 2014.

The PUNCH learnt that the meeting  would be preceded by those of the Board of Trustees  and  the national caucus of the party on January 7.

A very reliable  NEC member said on Tuesday that   Tukur’s fate would be discussed during the  January 8 meeting since    PDP  governors were still  divided on his  continued retention  as the  national chairman  of the ruling party.

It was   gathered that while some of the governors believed   that it would  be suicidal for  Tukur to be  sacked  a year to the general elections, others were of the opinion that his removal would restore  confidence in  the party.

Our source said apart from Governors   Sule Lamido(Jigawa)  and Babangida Aliyu(Niger) whose  views on the national chairman are well known, some of their colleagues were waiting for the NEC meeting to voice out  their opposition to Tukur’s continued leadership of the party.

“The two governors, who are part of the aggrieved seven governors before five of them defected to the All Progressives Congress,  are still insisting that the chairman must go. We also know that there   are some of their colleagues who are waiting for our next NEC meeting to also  kick against    Tukur’s continued stay in office.”

But the source, who is a supporter of the national  chairman, however,  said that there was nothing to warrant his sacking.

He also dismissed the rumours  that Tukur  was planning to   sue the NEC in order to stall  any move  to remove  him from office.

Tukur’s  Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Oliver Okpala, who spoke on the telephone with one of our correspondents, said his boss would allow NEC to do its job since he was  also  member of the body.

Okpala  also  denied the rumours that Tukur  was  planning to drag the NEC  to court.

He said,  “He (Tukur) is part of NEC and cannot take it to court on any issue. Besides, there is no such issue (his removal) before the NEC. So why would he take the body to court? He would allow NEC to do its job on any issue and would not be part of those  who  want  to destroy  what  he contributed to its  building ”

Meanwhile,  a  fresh crisis is brewing among the national officers of the  PDP.

The crisis became public knowledge  as the party’s top hierarchy disagreed  on the  comment made   by the PDP  Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ibrahim Jalo, on the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Martin Elechi.

Elechi was quoted as  describing the proposed national conference  as a “big joke, waste of time, and a distraction to (President Goodluck) Jonathan.”

The governor  was quoted  to have also said that he would not be part of the conference.

While responding to the governor’s position, Jalo had  said the national dialogue was the product of a PDP-led Federal Government, adding that it was wrong for any member of the party to criticise it.

He had said, “The national conference is a product of the PDP-controlled Federal Government.

“The President is the leader of the party and the national conference is the initiative of the Federal Government.”

He added that it would be out of place for any state not to participate.

However, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, issued a statement dismissing what  Jalo said.

Although he did not mention Jalo’s name in his statement, Metuh said the party did not authorise anyone to speak on the matter.

Metuh’s statement on Monday reads, “We wish to clarify unequivocally that the National Working Committee of the PDP never in any manner whatsoever made or authorised any comment on the said report.

“The PDP as a well organised democratic institution has duly established channel of external communication which is carried out with the utmost sense of responsibility after due clarifications on issues.

“It is, therefore, wrong and completely unacceptable for anybody to present statements made by individuals who are not members of the NWC of the PDP on the said report as the official position of the party; more so when such statements were made without due clarifications from the governor.”

Investigations by our correspondent showed that the fear of further defection from the PDP  by its elected officials was one of the reasons the party disowned Jalo.

The party recently  lost five of its governors   and 37   members   of  the House of Representatives  to the APC.

This, it was gathered, made Metuh to say that “the entire NWC  restates total commitment and respect to all our elected officials, especially PDP governors who remain strong pillars of the party.”

Metuh also cautioned all aides of elected officers at all levels of the party to desist from rushing to make statements  that  cast aspersion on PDP’s  elected officials, especially  its  governors.

He cautioned that all aides must henceforth guard their actions and utterances and ensure that they did not in any way undermine the unity and stability of the party.

Source: Punchng