In a move that seems to pre-empt further action that may be taken by the Presidency and Bamanga Tukur-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the national chairman of the ruling party’s splinter group, ‘new PDP’ Abubakar Kawu Baraje, has resigned his position as the Chairman, Nigeria Railway Corporation Governing Board.
Mr. Baraje, was suspended indefinitely by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) on Monday, citing anti-party activities.
Also suspended are nPDP Deputy National Chairman, Sam Sam Jaja, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and acting National Secretary, Ibrahim Kazaure, all key actors in the splinter group.
According to a statement by the nPDP National Publicity Secretary, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, the resignation was informed by the need “to give him room and time to manage the nPDP adequately and avoid any insinuation or plot to use the appointment of his NRC Chairmanship to blackmail or embarrass him in future”.
Eze quoted the chairman as saying that the struggle to emancipate and enthrone proper democracy in our polity is a task that must be won.
The letter titled, “LETTER OF GRATITUDE AND RESIGNATION OF APPOINTMENT AS CHAIRMAN, NIGERIA RAILWAY CORPORATION GOVERNING BOARD” by Mr. Baraje was addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim.
It reads in full, “I hasten to express my sincere gratitude to His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, through your good office for the confidence he placed in my ability to have appointed me to such an exalted position as Chairman, Nigeria Railway Corporation.
“His Excellency, Mr. President, will recall that this appointment came from his discretion in allotting some positions to our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, it is no longer news that there is an ongoing disagreement in principle between some top stakeholders of our party of which I am among on the one hand and the current leadership of the party on the other.
“This quagmire has upturned my belief in the present leadership of our great party and has consequently made my continued stay as the Chairman, Nigeria Railway Corporation Governing Board uncomfortable.
“Realizing that the position of the Nigeria Railway Corporation Chairmanship was allocated to the party and of which I am supposed to symbolize, I would appreciate if your good office could please convey to His Excellency, Mr. President, of my intention to relinquish this position with immediate effect because I can no longer represent the interest of the party whose leadership I no longer believe in.”
