PDP governors push for Tukur’s exit as party chair

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors are to meet today in Abuja on the party’s crisis, including the push for National Chairman Bamanga Tukur’s removal.

Some of the governors are pushing a proposal to prevail on President Goodluck Jonathan to drop Tukur and bring an “amenable” candidate who could genuinely reconcile the party.

Others would like the President to call Tukur to order and reconcile the party’s warring leaders.

But, barely a few days after his removal, former National Auditor Bode Mustapha, who is a loyalist of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, has asked Tukur to be prepared to step down – if the leadership is insisting that the Southwest Congress was illegal.

He is threatening to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against Tukur for allegedly disobeying the Court of Appeal.

The governors may meet after a session of the National Council of State today at the Presidential Villa.

The governors, who started arriving last night in Abuja , were expected to hold a meeting of the Nigeria Governors Forum ahead of the Council of State session.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We are attending the National Economic Council meeting on Thursday, but we will use the opportunity to hold a session of the Governors Forum to harmonise our position on a few issues to be discussed at the Presidential Villa.

“After the meeting, we will then find time to attend to challenges being faced by our party.

“We have a lot of proposals on the table on the way out of the crisis. Some governors, including our Northern colleagues, certainly want Tukur to go because he is bringing more trouble to the party than anticipated.

“To show their loyalty, these aggrieved governors are seeking the nod of the leader of the party, President Goodluck Jonathan to present an ‘amenable’ candidate, who could genuinely reconcile the party, to replace Tukur.

“But some of the governors want a soft-landing for Tukur by prevailing on President to reconcile all warring PDP leaders. As it is now, the Southwest is almost alienated from the party.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “The governors are to choose any of the options on the table.”

Mustapha has asked Tukur to be prepared to step down, if the party leadership is insisting that the South-West Congress was illegal.

Mustapha and a former National Vice-Chairman of PDP(Southwest), Mr. Segun Oni, were removed from office last Friday by PDP leadership, following a judgment of the Federal High Court in Lagos which declared the congress, where they were elected, as illegal.

But, in a February 18, letter to Tukur, the sacked National Auditor said if the party leadership was adamant that the congress was illegal, the consequent National Convention which produced Tukur and other members of the National Working Committee, was also null and void.

He said Tukur and NWC members must be prepared to step aside for a fresh convention.

In the letter, which was written through his counsel, Mr. Gboyega Oyewole, the former National Auditor also threatened to file criminal contempt proceedings against Tukur if he is not restored to office within seven days.

The letter, titled “Purported removal from office of the National Auditor and the dissolution of South West Zonal Executive Committee of the People’s Democratic Party,” was received on Tuesday by the PDP National Legal Adviser, Mr. Victor Kwon, who acted on behalf of the NWC.

The PDP Youths Congress (PDPYC) has called on President Jonathan and the governors to intervene in the crisis.

The group made the call in a statement in Abuja through its convener, Mr. Oluwole Durojaiye.

The statement said: “The PDP house is crumbling and if urgent corrective steps are not taken, the Dr Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee (NWC) would kill the party.”

“Last week Friday’s decision of the NWC sacking the South-West Zonal Working Committee and recognising the Buruji Kasamu-led faction of the party in Ogun State is a total affront to the rule of law.

“If a judgment of a lower court had been appealed against and the Appeal Court had already granted a stay of execution of the judgment, what interest does the NWC have to have directed the withdrawal of the appeal?

“And if a notice of withdrawal of an appeal was filed and other parties to the case have also notified the court that they are not parties to the notice of withdrawal, shouldn’t the NWC have waited for the Court of Appeal to adjudicate on the notice of withdrawal before going ahead to give effect to the already stayed judgment of the lower court?

“Then, why hasn’t the NWC acted on the order of Justice O. E. Abang in Suit Number FHC/L/CS/282/2012, which nullified the National Convention that produced the entire members of the NWC?