By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Henry Umoru & Suzan Edeh
ABUJA — MOST of the 10 chairmanship candidates of the People Democratic Party, PDP, ‘forced’ to stand down for Alhaji Bamanga Tukur during Saturday’s convention of the party have literally gone underground in bitterness over the way they were made to give up their quests.
However, National Publicity secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, has dismissed claims of imposition, saying that none of the candidates was forced out of the contest and gave reasons the PDP hierarchy prefered consensus to competitive elections.
This came as Senate President David Mark charged the Tukur-led NWC to return the party on the path of unity and begged the aggrieved candidates to continue to support the party just as the new National Organizing Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha, pledged to work harmoniously with other exco members to pursue the objectives of the founding fathers of the party.
Mustapha in a statement of appreciation yesterday said that he would devote himself towards ensuring the growth of the party as a way of justifying the confidence given him by the delegates to the ninth convention of the party.
Candidates’ angst
While some of the candidates rebuffed enquiries on their disposition to the adoption of a consensus candidate as chairman, inner details of how President Goodluck Jonathan and other party leaders compelled them to stand down for Tukur became clearer yesterday. Vanguard learnt that one of the points used to pressure them was that voting would extend the convention to three days.
Alhaji Gambo Lawan, one of the notable candidates was, however, an exception. He told Vanguard that he took the decision of the party leaders in good faith as a loyal party member. He said with age on his side he was not bitter about the developments on the convention ground last Saturday.
Others were, however, not on same page with Lawan as their utterances were laced with anger and revulsion.
Contacted on the phone, one of the former candidates could only call God, telling the reporter to leave everything to God. “Leave that matter, leave it,” he said in a bitter tone.
Another contestant, in a tone reflective of surrender to the will of God, said “if it is God’s wish we cannot be stopped.”
There was, however, more hurt in the expression of some of the chief supporters of the former aspirants.
The campaign director of one of the defeated aspirants told Vanguard last night that the events of Saturday would sooner or later hit back at the party.
“PDP as a party is finished and this is because of 2015; they shared the party positions without considering the fact that people were asked to purchase forms and contest,” he said last night.
Jonathan has right to back a candidate – Metuh
However, Metuh defended the role played by President Jonathan during the convention, saying that the President had the right as any other party member to support a candidate.
Against the background of reports that the 10 chairmanship candidates were compelled to withdraw by President Jonathan, Metuh in a telephone interview said: “The President reserves the right to support the national chairman of his choice.
In supporting that candidate if he decides to sell his candidature to other stakeholders, it is within his democratic rights as long as he does not interfere with the constitutional right of other candidates. The President deserves the right to have a candidate of his choice and to promote his candidature among other stakeholders. He is a PDP super delegate, he can support someone and others can say no but if they buy his argument it is very democratic. There is nothing to hide about it. There is nothing undemocratic, immoral and illegal about it.”
Return PDP to the path of unity, Mark charges Tukur
Congratulating Tukur on his emergence, Senate President Mark urged him to put machinery in motion to return discipline and unity to the party if it must be result –oriented and promised that the PDP lawmakers in the National Assembly would continue to support the new leadership to succeed.
Mark noted that there was urgent need to begin the process of building bridges of understanding that would necessitate peace and unity and pleaded with those who lost out at the convention to continue to support the new leadership in the interest of all.
His words: “Even though we achieved consensus in virtually all the positions, we cannot totally rule out that some of our members may have been dissatisfied one way or the other. It is therefore incumbent on the new leadership to begin the process of fence mending, so that everybody is carried along. The PDP is a large family and the umbrella is large enough to accommodate all members.”
These family ties must be sustained so that together, we can join the transformation train that would ultimately take us to the Promised Land.”
He advised the Tukur-led NWC to be guided by the principle of fairness, justice and rule of law in the discharge of its duties adding, “if you do so, you will earn the support and respect of all members and your administration would be smooth.”
Youths berate North-East PDP governors
Meanwhile, Youths under the umbrella of the North-East Youth Forum (NEYF), have criticized North-East PDP governors for rescinding the earlier decision taken at the zonal congress of the party were Dr Musa Babayo was endorsed for the chairmanship position.
In a press statement by its Spokesman, Alhaji Auwalu Jibir the NEYF decried the manner, the governors compromised on the zonal decision.
“It is very pathetic that the Governors, who are supposed to be the leaders and caucus in the North cannot stand on their decision on behalf of the people of their states. Instead they had to depend on the President to take that decision for them. They all acted as if we are not in democratic era.
Alhaji Bamanga Tukur is our own from the North-East and we love him, but the fact is that Mr Tukur is not healthy to manage the affairs of the party in the country and he has not been active in partisan politics for long.
The people in the North-East want somebody who will develop the region because the region is lagging behind in all sectors of the economy,” the statement read in part.
ABUJA — MOST of the 10 chairmanship candidates of the People Democratic Party, PDP, ‘forced’ to stand down for Alhaji Bamanga Tukur during Saturday’s convention of the party have literally gone underground in bitterness over the way they were made to give up their quests.
However, National Publicity secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, has dismissed claims of imposition, saying that none of the candidates was forced out of the contest and gave reasons the PDP hierarchy prefered consensus to competitive elections.
From Left, President Goodluck Jonathan, Acting Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, Former President and Bot Chairman, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe. at the People's Democratic Party 2012 National Convention at the Eagle Square in Abuja,Saturday Photos--state House.
Mustapha in a statement of appreciation yesterday said that he would devote himself towards ensuring the growth of the party as a way of justifying the confidence given him by the delegates to the ninth convention of the party.
Candidates’ angst
While some of the candidates rebuffed enquiries on their disposition to the adoption of a consensus candidate as chairman, inner details of how President Goodluck Jonathan and other party leaders compelled them to stand down for Tukur became clearer yesterday. Vanguard learnt that one of the points used to pressure them was that voting would extend the convention to three days.
Alhaji Gambo Lawan, one of the notable candidates was, however, an exception. He told Vanguard that he took the decision of the party leaders in good faith as a loyal party member. He said with age on his side he was not bitter about the developments on the convention ground last Saturday.
Others were, however, not on same page with Lawan as their utterances were laced with anger and revulsion.
Contacted on the phone, one of the former candidates could only call God, telling the reporter to leave everything to God. “Leave that matter, leave it,” he said in a bitter tone.
Another contestant, in a tone reflective of surrender to the will of God, said “if it is God’s wish we cannot be stopped.”
There was, however, more hurt in the expression of some of the chief supporters of the former aspirants.
The campaign director of one of the defeated aspirants told Vanguard last night that the events of Saturday would sooner or later hit back at the party.
“PDP as a party is finished and this is because of 2015; they shared the party positions without considering the fact that people were asked to purchase forms and contest,” he said last night.
Jonathan has right to back a candidate – Metuh
However, Metuh defended the role played by President Jonathan during the convention, saying that the President had the right as any other party member to support a candidate.
Against the background of reports that the 10 chairmanship candidates were compelled to withdraw by President Jonathan, Metuh in a telephone interview said: “The President reserves the right to support the national chairman of his choice.
In supporting that candidate if he decides to sell his candidature to other stakeholders, it is within his democratic rights as long as he does not interfere with the constitutional right of other candidates. The President deserves the right to have a candidate of his choice and to promote his candidature among other stakeholders. He is a PDP super delegate, he can support someone and others can say no but if they buy his argument it is very democratic. There is nothing to hide about it. There is nothing undemocratic, immoral and illegal about it.”
Return PDP to the path of unity, Mark charges Tukur
Congratulating Tukur on his emergence, Senate President Mark urged him to put machinery in motion to return discipline and unity to the party if it must be result –oriented and promised that the PDP lawmakers in the National Assembly would continue to support the new leadership to succeed.
Mark noted that there was urgent need to begin the process of building bridges of understanding that would necessitate peace and unity and pleaded with those who lost out at the convention to continue to support the new leadership in the interest of all.
His words: “Even though we achieved consensus in virtually all the positions, we cannot totally rule out that some of our members may have been dissatisfied one way or the other. It is therefore incumbent on the new leadership to begin the process of fence mending, so that everybody is carried along. The PDP is a large family and the umbrella is large enough to accommodate all members.”
These family ties must be sustained so that together, we can join the transformation train that would ultimately take us to the Promised Land.”
He advised the Tukur-led NWC to be guided by the principle of fairness, justice and rule of law in the discharge of its duties adding, “if you do so, you will earn the support and respect of all members and your administration would be smooth.”
Youths berate North-East PDP governors
Meanwhile, Youths under the umbrella of the North-East Youth Forum (NEYF), have criticized North-East PDP governors for rescinding the earlier decision taken at the zonal congress of the party were Dr Musa Babayo was endorsed for the chairmanship position.
In a press statement by its Spokesman, Alhaji Auwalu Jibir the NEYF decried the manner, the governors compromised on the zonal decision.
“It is very pathetic that the Governors, who are supposed to be the leaders and caucus in the North cannot stand on their decision on behalf of the people of their states. Instead they had to depend on the President to take that decision for them. They all acted as if we are not in democratic era.
Alhaji Bamanga Tukur is our own from the North-East and we love him, but the fact is that Mr Tukur is not healthy to manage the affairs of the party in the country and he has not been active in partisan politics for long.
The people in the North-East want somebody who will develop the region because the region is lagging behind in all sectors of the economy,” the statement read in part.
No comments:
Post a Comment