The coronation of Tukur as PDP chairman

Ayorinde Oluokun/ abuja

Weeks of intrigues within Nigeria’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP culminated in the expected outcome of the election of 77-year-old businessman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as the National Chairman of the party at its National Convention held in Abuja on Saturday.

The road to the office of the National Chairman was smoothened for Tukur with the success of President Goodluck Jonathan, his major backer in getting the other 10 candidates who had signified interest in the position to step down for him overnight.

The President, had overnight reached a deal with Governors elected on the platform of PDP In which they (the Governors) will support Tukur in return for his support for their preferred candidate for the position of National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the former Governor of Osun State.

So, rather than having a proper contest, via an election, the about 4000 delegates were rather asked to affirm the candidacy of Tukur by voting yes or no to, the words of party officials “ensure his acceptability”.

A total of 3, 165 delegates, according to the results announced by the electoral committee voted “Yes” to Bamanga’s candidature, while only 12 voted “No”.

The Governors also succeeded in having their way as Oyinlola was elected as the National Secretary of the party, defeating Owolabi Salis and Dapo Sarunmi, the two candidates who refused to step down at the Convention ground.

Bode Mustapha and Bolaji Anani were also elected as the National Auditor and Financial Secretary respectively.

Other positions were filled with consensus with the candidates coming forward at the convention ground to announce their withdrawal on the convention ground obviously after been put under tremendous pressure by party officials.

Those who emerged through the so called consensus arrangement include Onwe Onwe, for the position of Deputy National Secretary; Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary; Kema Chikwe, National Women Leader; Okechukwu Nnadozie, Deputy National Organizing Secretary; Claudius Emekise, Deputy National Treasurer; Victor Pam, National Legal Adviser; Binta Machika, Deputy National Publicity Secretary.

All the new officials were sworn in immediately after the election.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, speculated to be fiercely opposed to the emergence of Tukur who is from the same Adamawa State like him as the National Chairman of PDP because of his rumored 2015 presidential ambition was absent from the Convention.