- As Presidency Considers Ambassadorial Role For Him
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THE move by some aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the leadership of its chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, may have heightened, as no fewer than seven chieftains of PDP from the North East had been penciled in as possible replacements of the national chairman.
Those shortlisted for the PDP chairmanship post included Alhaji Musa Babayo, who was said to have secured the endorsement of governors of the party.
He was equally tipped by governors of the North East against Tukur, in the build up to the national convention of March 2012.
Another top contender was the Wakilin Adamawa, Alhaji Hassan Adamu, a well known face to President Goodluck Jonathan, who was also considered for the post alongside Tukur.
Also confirmed as having been shortlisted were two former governors from the zone, Mr Boni Haruna, former governor of Adamawa State and another former governor of Bauchi State, Adamu Muazu.
Former national vice chairman of the party in the North East, Senator John Wampana, was also said to have been shortlisted alongside the Political Adviser to the President, Dr Ahmed Gulag and a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Mohammed Abba Gana.
The presidency and a team of elders of the party were said to have kicked off the search for a possible replacement for Tukur.
Governors of the party had resolved at a meeting in the Abuja Lodge of the chairman, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom state, to demand the sack of the embattled chairman.
It was gathered that the loyal governors of the PDP had a meeting on the issue of Tukur with their aggrieved counterparts, some of whom had defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sources in the party, however, told the Nigerian Tribune that President Jonathan had agreed to the proposal that Tukur be replaced, so as to cement the cracks in the ruling party.
A source said Tukur’s sack was actually delayed by the agitation led by the G7 governors.
“The president resolved that the chairman will not be removed on the strength of agitations by the aggrieved governors. He was of the view that party discipline and decorum should remain the bedrock of interactions among party members and that a situation where a group of members would just decide to wage war against the organisation should not be condoned,” a source said.
The source stated that Jonathan had, earlier in the year, concluded on the need to remove Tukur, but delayed taking action in order not to give credit to the aggrieved governors, some of whom are now in APC.
It was gathered that Tukur’s sin was principally his failure to unite the members and manage the governors.
“The president was worried that an elder like Tukur should be having altercations with governors, many of whom are age mates of his children. He was also concerned that the management skills of the chairman has, however, failed to rein in the aggrieved members,” another source said.
A source stated that Tukur could be asked to take up an ambassadorial role, in view of what was called his selfless service to the party.
It was also confirmed that two shades of opinion had emerged in the process of selecting Tukur’s replacement.
A team of party leaders were of the view that a younger person should emerge as chairman, while others believed that there was nothing wrong with selecting one of the elder statesmen.
Governors of the party were said to be in favour of the bid for a younger candidate, strong enough to withstand the pressure of the office.
Source: Tribune
