The
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur,
on Wednesday warned that the seats of about 124 PDP members in the
National Assembly would be declared vacant if they failed to withdraw
their loyalty to the breakaway faction of the party known as the New
PDP.
Tukur, at a news conference at the
Wadata House headquarters of the party in Abuja, also described the
promoters of the New PDP as “undemocratic and unpatriotic elements,” who
are bent on destroying “our common destiny.”
But he was referred to as “a joker” by
the leader of the faction, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, and the spokesperson
for the House of Representatives, Zakari Mohammed, who advised him to
study the Electoral Act properly before making a pronouncement on such
an issue.
On Monday, 26 senators and 57 House of
Representatives members announced their loyalty to the New PDP which
other key officials are a former National Secretary of the PDP, Prince
Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and a former Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam
Jaja.
Forty five members of the House of
Representatives had earlier identified with the group that also has
a former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Governors Sule
Lamido(Jigawa); Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto);
Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); and Rabiu Kwakwanso
(Kano), in its fold.
An angry-looking Tukur said at the
brief news conference that the leadership of the PDP would do
everything within its powers to deal with anyone that attempted to
undermine the authority of the party.
He added, “All persons elected on the
platform of our great party at all levels who identify with these
enemies of the oneness and greatness of our party shall have their seats
declared vacant as required by law.
“We shall leave no stone unturned to
ensure that such persons and indeed, any other individuals who attempt
to subvert the leadership of the PDP shall reap in full, the
consequences of such actions.
“I wish to emphasise that the PDP has
adequate mechanism for internal conflict resolution. All party members
are therefore advised to ventilate their grievances through this medium.
“There is only one lawfully recognised PDP and I am firmly in charge.”
Referring to Baraje, Oyinlola, and Jaja
as “impostors,” Tukur, who was flanked by the majority of the members
of the newly constituted National Working Committee of the party,
enjoined the Police and other security agencies to treat them as such.
He said, “Gentlemen of the press, you
are aware of the current developments in our great party. Our reason for
being here is to inform you without any iota of doubt that the PDP has
no faction and there is neither room nor reason whatsoever for such a
claim under any guise.
“The PDP has only one duly elected
National Executive Committee under my chairmanship. I wish therefore to
state with all emphasis that any group of persons parading themselves as
leaders of NEC or any other organ of our party are impostors and I urge
all Nigerians, especially the security agencies and other institutions
of democracy to regard them as such.
“Let me state categorically that the PDP
as the sole custodian of the sacred mandate of over 160 million
Nigerians and which, in the last 14 years has lifted high, the banner
of democracy will not fold its arms while some undemocratic and
unpatriotic elements destroy our common destiny by causing divisions and
confusion among the people.
“Consequently, we shall ensure that any
person who is not duly elected into any leadership position in our great
party and has not been duly assigned any role but goes ahead to
arrogate such to himself will be made to face the full wrath of the
law.”
Tukur refused to field questions from journalists after the short press briefing.
But, Baraje declared Tukur and those in the PDP NWC as unfit to lead the ruling party.
Baraje said, “They are all jokers. They
don’t know what is party politics. We are not surprised because they
are ignorant of party politics.
“In any case, the process of declaring
the seats of members of the national or state assembly vacant or
calling lawmakers back is well known in the constitution. To wake up
and say he is going to recall people back or declare their seats vacant
shows that he is ignorant.
“Tukur is not fit to to be called the national chairman of the PDP.”
In the House of Representatives, its
spokesman, Mohammed, who is also one of the 57 members of the House
that on Monday declared support for the New PDP, said Tukur ‘should
study the Electoral Act properly, before jumping to conclusions.”
His counterpart in the Senate, Senator
Enyinnaya Abaribe, could not be reached for comments as his mobile
telephone number indicated that he was out of reach. A text message sent
to him was not responded to.
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In this case of PDP crisis, may I ask, is it Baraje that is fit to be National Chairman of the PDP? People should learn to stop condenming others, because, if you give them the chance, they might do worst things.
ReplyDeleteLET EVERYBODY START PRYIN.FORGET SALARY IN THE FFECTED STATES TILL 2015
ReplyDeleteNo problem, GIVE THEM THE CHANCE FIRST!!! ....Mumu (Anonymous number 1)
ReplyDeletewashing very dirty linen in public......hahahaha
ReplyDeleteNigerians are risk averse people and they have come to believe that today is better than tommorrow and perhaps are so afraid of what is unknown and will prefer not to try it than for there to be a possibility of failure in it, forgetting that in every event, in as much as failure is probable, so also is success. Nigerians cling to a situation thinking it is manageable forgetting that without trial the best situation may never be unravel. They are so much afraid of what will be(in the future) as againt what it is (presently).
ReplyDeleteAnd because of these, innovativeness has eluded us and transformation can only be achieved on paper. When people see a new thing coming, they easily condemn it as worse than what there is and, in their minds, will never miss it as a forgone alternative. In short Nigerians are irrational beings and even if hell is fed them, they will still have a part of their minds convinced that this is better than what will be if a change become successful.
May I say,therefore, that in the light of these, let GEJ continue if that is what will ensure peace as it is becoming evidently clear that if he is not returned in the forthcoming election, we shall know no-peace.
This is a season film, it is high time we. Come to our senses, pdp has nothing to offer us, once the one so call Chiarman of the party is the ignorant of law, what are will now saying. Senators and rep should withdraw their loyalty from new faction. Or hence their seat will declare vacancy, what if D̶̲̥̅̊ε̲̣̣̣̥γ̲̣̣ deffect to another party, does that one make them loose their seat? This statement is quite shows. That he did not know what he is saying at all. Law of diminishing return is set in. Baba e sanwo ki e lo mi jeun.
ReplyDeleteThis is a season film, it is high time we. Come to our senses, pdp has nothing to offer us, once the one so call Chiarman of the party is the ignorant of law, what are will now saying. Senators and rep should withdraw their loyalty from new faction. Or hence their seat will declare vacancy, what if D̶̲̥̅̊ε̲̣̣̣̥γ̲̣̣ deffect to another party, does that one make them loose their seat? This statement is quite shows. That he did not know what he is saying at all. Law of diminishing return is set in. Baba e sanwo ki e lo mi jeun.
ReplyDelete