After several months of trying to crack the code of the shenanigans in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Political Economist in its January 3, 2014 online edition reported that Bamangar Tukur, the embattled chairman of the party would resign this month. This was after our reporter had extracted a strong confirmation from very close associates and family members of Tukur that the man was already battle-weary and ‘wants out’.
Yesterday, that story was confirmed at the 63rd National Executive Council meeting of the party when President Goodluck Jonathan announced the resignation of Tukur and consequently tabled the letter before the NEC.
At the meeting, the president handed over Tukur’s resignation letter to the National Secretary of the party, Wale Oladipo. He complimented Tukur thus:“He (Mr. Tukur) is not guilty of any offence and I am going to give him an assignment that is tougher than PDP chairman,” the president said.
Jonathan also said the PDP will hold another NEC meeting next week Monday to announce a new chairman whom many believe would be from the same political zone with Tukur.
Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River moved the motion to accept Mr. Tukur’s resignation and it was seconded by the Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi. The NEC was unanimous in accepting the resignation.
Political Economist can authoritatively report that Tukur’s resignation letter had been written since last week but the Adamawa politician refused to tender it, hoping to convince President Jonathan that he would be able to still the raging storm in the party.
In our January 3, 2014 we had reported inter alia: “To save his political life which is fast slipping away, President Goodluck Jonathan is said to have concluded plans to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, in obvious acquiescence to the demand of the aggrieved faction of the party led by former vice president, Atiku Abubakar.
“Tukur, who was accused of high-handedness and bias by the factional PDP (also known as the New PDP) has been defiant threatening to ‘punish’ errant members of the party and their supporters including lawmakers. Tukur’s intransigence had cost the PDP five governors and hordes of lawmakers who are now nestling in the confines of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
“ A major meeting of the PDP NEC will hold next week and despite Tukur’s grandstanding that his removal was not on the agenda, a Presidency source told our reporter that the President is already shopping for his successor. Tukur is being perceived as divisive and unskilled in the art of political brinkmanship which the PDP needs now in its moment of implosion.
“But Tukur has insisted he is going nowhere, hinting that those who left the party would return sooner than later. However, a Presidency source told our reporter that Tukur is merely blowing hot air as he no longer enjoys the support of the President who is the party leader. The source hinted that Jonathan may cause the removal of the party chairman to save his own political career. “The president is not happy and he is worried by the recent developments in the party. He wants to run again in 2015 and he cannot do so and win under the present circumstance. He is weighing the option of letting Tukur go”, the source said.
“When reminded that he lacks the power to remove the party chairman, the source said: “Yes, the party constitution does not give him such power but there is a precedence in the manner former chairmen of the party were removed. Both Audu Ogbeh and Vincent Ogbulafor were forced to resign..such option is open to Mr President”.
“It is not clear how soon the President will make good his intention but a PDP top notch said it could happen in a matter of weeks. More governors are also said to have backed the President to drop Tukur.”
After the Political Economist expose, the drama ended yesterday when Tukur finally handed over his resignation letter which had been resting in a confine in his office to President Jonathan.
His resignation took the form of that of his predecessors: Audu Ogbeh and Vincent Ogbulafor, both of whom were forced into resignation in controversial circumstances.
