4th September, 2013
The crisis rocking Nigeria’s ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, worsened on Tuesday with the newly formed faction gaining traction and securing the backing of 57 PDP House of Representatives members.
PDP broke up into two factions last Saturday when seven governors and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar walked out of the party’s mini convention and elected their own executives.
The former PDP is led by Bamanga Tukur, the septuagenarian from Adamawa State, while the new faction of the party is headed by Abubakar Kawu Baraje.
Since the collapse of the PDP, there have been congratulatory messages for the new faction as more PDP members pitch their tent with the new bloc.
P.M.NEWS learnt that a meeting between the war-ridden factions scheduled for Tuesday was put off as demands by the governors who broke away were rebuffed by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The new PDP, it was learnt, wants President Jonathan to dump his 2015 ambition and ease Bamanga Tukur out the Chairmanship of the party, virtually two impossible demands according observers.
Another condition the aggrieved governors have given is that Bamanga Tukur must step down as the party’s national chairman.
The new faction is also asking that an alleged investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of the break-away governors be dropped.
Another fence mending meeting has been scheduled for Friday.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has said the political drama currently unfolding within the PDP is an indication that President Jonathan has lost grip of the party.
APC Deputy Chairman in Edo State, Usman Shagadi, described the breakup of the PDP as a bad omen that can tarnish the image of Nigeria in the comity of nations.
He said APC is willing to accept aggrieved members of the PDP who may want to decamp to APC.
“We will accept them and reform them and they will make good candidates for future elections,” Shagadi said.
—Simon Ateba