PDP crises: More drama as 3 governors meet with Tukur: Three northern governors, Sule Lamido, Jigawa, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Kano; and Aliyu Wamakko, Sokoto yesterday met behind closed doors with the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bamanga Tukur in his Abuja residence. The governors were reported to have expressed their reservations over his leadership style and demanded a change inthe way the ruling party is being run. The governors are part of the five governors who have gone round the country to meet with relevant stakeholders in a bid to find an amicable solution to the crises facing the party. The others are Babangida Aliyu, Niger and Murtala Nwako, Adamawa. President Goodlcuk Jonathan was also said to have been locked in a crucial meeting with the Delta state governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan; Peter Obi,Anambra state and Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibo state right about the same time the Tukur meeting was going on. In a statement released by Tukur’s media aide, Oliver Okpara, the governors were at Tukur’s residence to find ways to reconcile aggrieved memberswhile one of the governors denied the claim saying all they did was let him know that they were not happy with condition of things in the party. The statement reads in part, “Three out of five northern governors of the PDP , namely Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), had a closed-door meeting with the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, that lasted for several hours and the governors apologised on behalf of the other governors notably, those of Adamawa and Niger states. “And it was resolved that they have returned to the leadership of the party and that all that happened in the past which involved grievances, accusations and counter-accusations were done because of gap in communication amidst disinformation from some quarters between them and the leadership of the party. “Having listened to the national chairman, they are now properly informed about the happenings in the party and promised that from hence forth, they will work in harmony and unity with the leadership of the party. They also pledged their loyalty to Dr. Tukur. “The National Chairman, after listening to them also promised as a father to forgive and forget all that had happened and assured them that the leadership of the party would work with the governors. He stressed that any member of the party that feels aggrieved should utilise all the internal mechanisms and platforms set out by the party. “The chairman said that their visit was a confirmation of the consultations adopted by the leadership of the party to ensure total reconciliation of aggrieved members as set out by the National Reconciliation Committee headed by Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State.” But one of the governors, who spoke with one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, said they did not go to Tukur’s residence to beg or apologise. Rather, he said, they went there to inform him that they were not happy with happenings in the party. Reports say one of the governors who attended the meeting responded to Tukur’s statement saying “How can anyone say we went there to beg or reconcile when in point blank, we told the chairman that the party is drifting under his nose? “We also told him that this was not a party he met and whether he had come to destabilise the party or not. “It is wrong and satanic of them to say we were there to beg. You know our antecedent, don’t you? And someone would come and lie that we came to beg?” He warned they might be forced to either issue a statement or speak to journalists on the matter at a later date after they might have read “the lies the chairman’s attack dog is feeding the public.” It was gathered that the meeting was held at the instance of Tukur.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Aug 2013 13:44:14 +0000