The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bamanga Tukur, has described members of the national executive committee of the ‘New PDP’ as an impostors, warning them to retrace their steps or be ready to face the full wrath of the law.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr. Tukur also warned members of the ruling party associating with the group to desist, insisting he remains the authentic chairman.
Consequently, he called on security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities regarding impersonation.
“You are aware of the current developments in our great party. Our reason for being here is to inform you without any iota of doubt that the Peoples Democratic Party has no faction and there is neither room nor reason whatsoever for such a claim under any guise.
“The PDP has only one duly elected National Executive Committee (NEC) under my Chairmanship. I wish therefore to state with all emphasis that any group of persons parading themselves as leaders of NEC or any other organ of our party are impostors and I urge all Nigerians, especially the security agencies and other institutions of democracy to regard them as such.
“Let me state categorically that the PDP as the sole custodian of the sacred mandate of over 160 million Nigerians and who in the last fourteen years has lifted high the banner of democracy will not fold its arms while some undemocratic and unpatriotic elements destroy our common destiny by causing divisions and confusion among the people.
“Consequently, we shall ensure that any person who is not duly elected into any leadership position in our great party and has not been duly assigned any role but goes ahead to arrogate such to himself will be made to face the full wrath of the law,” he warned.
Mr. Tukur also reminded those elected under the platform of PDP to be loyal, threatening that anybody that associates with the ‘New PDP’ would have his seat declared vacant.
His words, “Similarly, all persons elected on the platform of our great party at all levels who identify with these enemies of the oneness and greatness of our party shall have their seats declared vacant as required by law”.
The Chairman however, enjoined all members to explore the various mechanisms that are available for conflict resolution, insisting, “There is only one lawfully recognized PDP and I am in charge.
“We shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that such persons and indeed any other individual who attempts to subvert the leadership of the PDP shall reap in full, the consequences of such actions.
“I wish to emphasize that the PDP has adequate mechanism for internal conflict resolution. All party members are therefore advised to ventilate their grievances through this medium”.
Meanwhile, the national chairman of the New PDP, Abubakar Kawu Baraje, while reacting said Mr. Tukur is deficient in party politics and needed to be properly schooled in that area.
He dismissed the threat that any elected member that associate with his faction would have his seat declared vacant, saying the constitution on that.
Baraje said, “They are all mad and they don’t know what party politics is. We are not surprised because he’s ignorant of party politics.
“In any case, the process of declaring seats vacant or recalling members of National or state assembly is well known in the constitution. To wake up and threaten that he’s going to recall shows that he is not fit to be called national chairman of PDP”.
