would abate are not in sight as the party and its splinter group have
started trading words. The National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga
Tukur, described members of the splinter group, which called itself
the New PDP and led by Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, as impostors.
Speaking during a press conference in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, on
Wednesday, Tukur in company with other members of the party's National
Working Committee (NWC) threatened to declare the seats of members of
the New PDP in the National Assembly vacant.
The New PDP, whose birth was announced on Saturday, originally had in
its fold former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and seven governors
elected on the platform of the crisis-torn party.
The governors are Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Dr. Mu'azu Babangida
Aliyu (Niger), Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Dr. RabiuKwankwaso
(Kano). Others are Mr. Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), Alhaji Sule Lamido
(Jigawa) and Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto).
As at Tuesday, 22 senators and 57 members of Nigeria's House of
Representatives have joined the splinter group.
Tukur said: "There is only one lawfully recognised PDP and I am firmly
in charge. Let me state categorically that the PDP as the sole
custodian of the sacred mandate ofover 160 million Nigerians and who
in the last 14 years has lifted high the banner of democracy will not
fold its arms while someundemocratic and unpatriotic elements destroy
our common destiny by causing divisions and confusion among the
people.
"Consequently, we shall ensure that any person who is not duly elected
into any leadership position in our great party and has not been duly
assigned any role but goes ahead to arrogate such to himself will be
made to face the full wrath of the law.
"Similarly, all persons elected on the platform of our great party at
all levelswho identify with these enemies of the oneness and greatness
of our party shall have their seats declared vacant as required by
law."
According to a statement read and signed by the PDP national chairman
at the press briefing, he said, "Gentlemen of the press, you are aware
of the current developments in our great party. Our reason for being
here is to inform you without any iota of doubt that the Peoples
Democratic Party has no faction and there is neither room nor
reasonwhatsoever for such a claim under any guise.
"The PDP has only one duly elected National Executive Committee (NEC)
under my Chairmanship. I wish therefore to state with all emphasis
that any group of persons parading themselves as leaders of NEC or any
other organ of our party are impostors and I urge all Nigerians,
especiallythe security agencies and other institutions of democracy to
regard them as such.
"Let me state categorically that the PDP as the sole custodian of the
sacred mandateof over 160 million Nigerians and who in the last
fourteen years has lifted high the banner of democracy will not fold
its arms while some undemocratic and unpatriotic elements destroy our
common destiny by causing divisions and confusion among the people.
"Consequently, we shall ensure that any person who is not duly elected
into any leadership position in our great party and has not been duly
assigned any role but goes ahead to arrogate such to himself will be
made to face the full wrath of the law.
"Similarly, all persons elected on the platform of our great party at
all levelswho identify with these enemies of the oneness and greatness
of our party shall have their seats declared vacant as required by
law.
"We shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that such persons and
indeed any other individual who attempts to subvert the leadership of
the PDP shall reap in full,the consequences of such actions.
"I wish to emphasize that the PDP has adequate mechanism for internal
conflict resolution. All party members are therefore advised to
ventilate their grievances through this medium. There is onlyone
lawfully recognized PDP and I am firmly in charge."
No questions were entertained at the pressconference.
However, the factional Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, reacting to
Tukur's threat said the New PDP was not surprised, adding that it
showed how ignorant Tukur is inparty politics.
According to him, "They are all jokers. They don't know what is party
politics. We are not surprised because they are ignorant of party
politics. In any case, the process of declaring seats vacant or
recalling members of National or State Assembly is well known in the
constitution.
"To wake up and threaten that he is going to recall members supporting
us, shows that he is not fit to be national chairman of PDP."
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