PDP crisis: Presidency, Tukur’s loyalists finger South-South governor – The Nation newspaper

Alhaji Barmanga Tukur, PDP National Chairman

A pro-Jonathan Southsouth governor is in trouble with the presidency over the Tukur-must-go campaign rocking the party.

Some forces in the presidency and loyalists of the Nationa Chairman of the PDP Mahmud Tukur have identified the governor as the brain behind the anti-Tukur’s campaign and are rooting for him to be sanctioned.

The situation has sparked a cold war between the governor and one of his colleagues who is also die-hard loyalist of President Goodluck Jonathan.

But it was learnt last night that some PDP governors and leaders were trying to build a consensus on retaining Tukur.

It was gathered that the governor had been under watch for some time now to establish precisely the camp he belonged to in the crisis tearing the party into bits.

It was learnt that some loyalists of the president and Tukur had stumbled on some documents on why a change must be effected in the party the authorship of which they traced to him.

It was gathered that some forces in the presidency were shocked that the governor could work against the interest of the National Leader of the party, President Goodluck Jonathan.

A top source said: “We thought the anti-Tukur’s project was dead with the defection of five governors to APC only to be faced with the antics of some PDP governors who are obviously acting a script to hijack the party for their presidential ambition.

“These few PDP governors are behind the present anti-Tukur’s plot. And it is unfortunate that security reports have implicated a South-South governor as the brainchild.

“This is why they make a mountain out of a mole hill of the forthcoming NEC meeting. These few governors however cannot succeed because it looks impracticable and strategically defective to change PDP leadership in what I may call an “election” year.

Sources alleged a hidden agenda to cause confusion in the party, ease out Tukur and stop President Jonathan from securing a second term ticket.

The situation in the party now is such that two South-South governors are not on talking terms over agitation for Tukur’s removal.

One source said that while there are a few others supporting the Tukur-Must-Go campaign, they cannot go far and expressed surprise at the ‘overnight ambition’ for the presidency by some people. “These are the elements magnifying the crisis in the party for selfish reasons,” the source said.

It was also gathered that the need to build consensus among PDP governors and leaders on Tukur’s retention partly informed the shift of the National Executive Committee meeting of the party from January 16.

A source said: “We are already trying to build consensus among governors and party leaders on why Tukur must remain in office in the larger interest of the party’s success in 2015.

Governors Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Idris Wada (Kogi), and the Acting Governor of Taraba State, Garba Umar, were named as the arrow heads of the campaign to retain Tukur.

Party leaders are hopeful of agreeing on some key issues such that the exit of Tukur will not be on the agenda.

Another source said the retention of Tukur might be based on some concessions from the presidency and the party leadership.

The source said: “For instance, if Tukur remains in office, he cannot be talking of transformation or rigid nomination process for 2015 poll. The PDP National Chairman has already started the concession process when he went to the National Assembly and offered automatic tickets to those performing very well and those intending to defect.

“The concessions will be such that the party would be united and its electoral chances unhurt.”

“NWC members must learn to put the interests of the party first by abiding by the provisions of the party’s constitution.”

Source: The Nation newspaper