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| National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur |
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, has described promoters of the faction of the party known as the New PDP as “rascals.”
Presenting the PDP flag to the chairmanship and councillorship candidates for the September 21 local government polls in Cross River State on Wednesday night, Tukur called on party faithful across the country not to be distracted by rumours of a crack in the party.
Continue after the break.
He spoke just as a major supporter of theNew PDP and former Kwara State Governor, Bukola Saraki, said five out of the eight grievances of the promoters of the group had yet to be addressed.
The promoters of the New PDP are Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano); Abdulfattah Ahmed (Kwara); and Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers).
Others are Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, who chairs the group’s National Working Committee, his deputy, Dr. Sam Jaja; National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; a former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Saraki.
Tukur, who referred to Governor Liyel Imoke as an exemplary party faithful, said he was happy that he was not like other ‘rascals parading themselves as leaders of the New PDP.”
He said, “You should not be deterred or distracted by whatever rumour that is being peddled by mischief makers that the party is witnessing a big crack. We sue for peace, unity and oneness so as to remain as one indivisible strong and united party.”
Tukur charged the PDP-led state government to see the task of strengthening the party and closing the ranks among aggrieved members as the responsibility of all stakeholders and not that of the national hierarchy of the party alone.
In his remarks, Imoke said his administration was not interested in the setting up of caretaker committees.
He added that he was interested in conducting elections as stipulated by the laws of the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission.
In Ilorin, Kwara State, Saraki, who said only three of the grievances of the leaders of the New PDP had been addressed, added that the seven ‘rebel’ governors would meet the group’s leadership to review the outcome of their last reconciliation meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan.
He also said that the conflict between members of the New PDP and Jonathan was to save Nigeria and not personal as some people were speculating.
Saraki added that the seven governors would meet again with Jonathan on Sunday to continue the reconciliation talks.
The ex-governor said, “It is wrong for people to say or think that what we are doing is a personal grouse and it is because the President is weak unlike former President Olusegun Obasanjo. No, even if it was Obasanjo today, things would be different because the environment is different.”
Meanwhile, the Abubakar Baraje faction of the PDP has said that there is no end in sight to the crisis rocking the party.
On Thursday, the National Youth Leader of the New PDP, Timi Frank, dismissed reports that the crisis rocking the party would soon be over.
He said that peace would only return to the party if Jonathan satisfies, within the stipulated time, “all the conditions laid down before him by the top echelon of the New PDP.”
Frank was reacting to the comments by the Political Adviser to the President , Ahmed Gulak, that the crisis would soon be over since all the contentious issues were being addressed.
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