National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has accused those calling for his removal from office as having a sinister agenda which includes making President Goodluck Jonathan vulnerable.
He also accused some of the party’s governors, who have made his removal from office as condition for peace in the ruling party as nursing what he called ‘discreet’ presidential ambition and see him as an obstacle to achieving their political aspirations.
The party chairman wondered whether loyalty had become a crime in the nation’s polity.
Tukur’s position was made known by his Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Senator Abubakar Umar Gada.
Tukur’s response was against the backdrop of reports that PDP governors’ met Friday night at the Akwa Ibom governor’s lodge in Abuja where they resolved that the national chairman should resign in order to halt the gale of defection that has hit the party in recent times.
As compensation for his removal, the governors reportedly mulled advising President Jonathan to give Tukur a choice ambassadorial appointment.
Gada, who spoke apparently after consulting Tukur, said: “As far as the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, is concerned, the PDP governors are loyal to the President and the national leadership of the party, except for a few with hidden agenda who are nursing the plot to remove Tukur because of their personal presidential ambition.
“These few governors that are clamouring for the removal of Tukur are doing so with a hidden agenda to make President Jonathan vulnerable.
“These governors that are clamouring for the removal of the national chairman are known with hidden presidential ambition.
“The plot is to remove Tukur and make Jonathan vulnerable, because the national chairman is blocking their political ambition,” he said.
Gada challenged the governors clamouring for Tukur’s removal to list his sins, if they are indeed sincereto list Tukur’s sins, if they are sincere.
He added: “The National Chairman of PDP has kept quiet for some time with the feeling that these governors will see reason and stop their negative campaign against him.
“What is the offence of the national chairman that the governors will be asking for his removal?
“Which of these governors has asked or made a legitimate request that the national chairman did not grant? What wrong has the national chairman done that a few of these governors would be asking for his head?
“The only crime that Alhaji Bamanga Tukur has committed is because he is loyal to President Jonathan. Do the few PDP governors clamouring for Tukur’s removal as national chairman want a national chairman that would be disobedient to the President?
“By setting the gimmick for the removal of Tukur as national chairman, they are going to make the president vulnerable and open for attacks.
“But we are happy that the President is wiser and completely aware of the plot of these few governors, who see Tukur as blocking their discreet presidential ambition”.
Anybody can contest any post in as much as the person is qualify for the post and it is unlawful for one person to block another from contest as stated by Tukur
Does it means that he is loyal to gej and not the party. I think loyalty to the party should be paramount and not individual loyalty. Give party members equal opportunity to exhale than hijakin the party to promote one mans interest.
@Bassey wise talk