…..As party chairman vows to stop imposition of candidates by governors
BEVERLY HILLS, CA, December 04, (THEWILL) – The Senate Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, led by the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, on Wednesday, met at the National Assembly behind closed doors.
Though the parley was seen as fence mending moves to resolve the crisis rocking the party, sources revealed that Tukur vowed that never again will any state governor of the party impose a successor.
He explained to the caucus that some of the governors, particularly the aggrieved ones, were against him because of his insistence that they will never be allowed to impose any candidate, especially their successor.
Tukur, it was further learnt, told the lawmakers that because he has reached the point in life where he is almost on the other side of mortality, he would like to bequeath a legacy of fairness and justice.
“I have almost bought my ticket for the other side, so why should I not do that, which is right. The governors were shouting Tukur must go, Tukur must go, what have I done to them, if not that I said no, you must not impose any candidate on the party.
“Imposition will never happen during my tenure, never. No other chairman in this era has ever faced the call of ‘you must go’, than me. But I can assure you that there will never be imposition of any kind, so long as I am here”, Tukur was quoted as saying.
However, in his opening remarks at the meeting, Senate President, David Mark, admitted that the party was facing some challenges but assured that the party was capable of addressing the issues like a family matter.
“We admit we have some challenges in the party. It is expected in a big party like PDP. It is not unusual. We are equal to the challenges as a party. Hopefully, we shall come out of the crisis stronger,” he said.
Senator Mark assured the NWC that the PDP Senators are united in one accord and working together to ensure that the transformation agenda is carried out to its logical conclusion .
In his remarks, Tukur said the NWC was in the Senate to fraternise and exchange ideas with the PDP Senators on how they can continue to work together as one family.
Tukur also acknowledged the challenges facing the party but assured that the problem is surmountable ” because PDP is one family working together towards achieving a common goal.”.
Tukur jokingly responded to the defection of the five PDP governors to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as he feigned ignorance of the defection.
After formal exchanges, the meeting later went into a closed session lasting almost four hours.
It further learnt that the PDP caucus demanded a right of first refusal or ‘automatic’ tickets for Senators who may seek re-election in 2015. But this was denied by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba.
The denial notwithstanding, sources disclosed that the demand was premised on the fact that the “turnover rate” was “too high”, in effect, not allowing lawmakers build valuable experience in legislative practice.
It was also said that the PDP Senate caucus complained of not being carried along on issues of the party. They accused the party leaders of constantly taking “unilateral decision” in the affairs of the party.
However, Tukur on his part, confided in the Senate party caucus that his “sins” stemmed from his refusal to surrender the working of the party to the member governors bent on dictating and imposing party candidates for elections.
Again, the PDP Senators complained that there was no proper synergy between the President Goodluck Jonathan and his proxies on many issues affecting the legislative and executive arms of government.
Conspicuously absent at the meeting where notable leaders of the ‘new’ PDP, including Senators Bukola Saraki, Shaaba Lafiaji, Wilson Ake, Danjuma Goje, Ali Ndume, Adamu Abdullahi, Magnus Abe, Hassan Barata, Jubrin Bindo, Aishat Al-Hassan, among others.
Speaking after the meeting, the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba and the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur fielded questions with newsmen.
Senate Leader, Ndoma-Egba, said: ‘’On both sides we discussed issues affecting members of the PDP Senate caucus and the national Chairman listened attentively and responded and gave us words of reassurance.’’
He said the specific issues discussed concerning the senate caucus of the PDP are domestic issues. ‘’You don’t expect me to come and discuss domestic issues in public, they are issues that affect us the members of the party in the senate,’’ he said.
On reports of PDP Senators planned defection to APC, he said:
‘’It (defection) never came up and I can say it categorically in this point in time no Senator has indicated he is going anywhere, so the issue never came up,’’ he said.
On automatic ticket for members, Ndoma Egba said ‘’We discussed the provisions of the constitution and emphasised democracy. Our party is called People’s Democratic Party and we reminded ourselves that we must be democratic at all times. We had a useful meeting with our national chairman.’’
Tukur on is part , in reply to a question on the defection of some members, said: ‘’We did not talk about people who want to go or stay, defection. I came here because this is the first time I am coming to meet my family, they are my members.’’
On his message to the members of the party, ‘’Entrenchment of democracy, discipline and good governance,’’ he said.
BY EMMA UCHE, ABUJA
