Atiku, nine PDP govs form new Party

Frustrated by his being dumped to the sidelines by the current leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and nine governors of the party may have decided on the formation of a new political party.

This political pundits believe will greatly alter the political calculus in the country as it is going to pose enormous challenge to both the ruling PDP and the nascent All Peoples Congress (APC).

It is believed that true progressives might be tempted to find accommodation in the new political formation rather than the rainbow coalition called APC that prides itself as a progressive platform.

According to reports reaching THE RAINBOW, the new political group has already sent an application to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the registration of the new political party with the name Peoples Progressive Movement ( PPM).

The reports indicated further that documents for the registration of the new party have been submitted t INEC and are being evaluated.

The disgruntled governors of PDP and other leaders of ruling are said to form the fulcrum of the new political group.

It will be recalled that Atiku during his days as the Vice President wielded a lot influence on the governors. His political group, Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) literarily controlled the PDP structure then.

He said to be already tapping his former loyalists in a bid to resuscitate the strong political machine, which was a upshoot of Late Shehu Musa  Yar'Dua unstoppable political movement.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was said to have literarily knelt beforeAtiku before he could get the governors in PDP to support his second term ambition.

This decision to go this way, a source, who claimed to be on the know of the development, was prompted by clear indication that it would be difficult for anybody to wrestle PDP ticket from Jonathan.

Goovernors who have reportedly joined Atiku to form the party include Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa).

Others are Garba Umar, acting governor of Taraba State; Abdufatah Ahmed of Kwara State and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State.

These Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors dissatisfied with the leadership style of the Chairman of the party, Bamanga Tukur, and the insistence by President Goodluck Jonathan to go for a second term.

According to those briefed on the development, the new party should have been registered along with the All Progressives Congress, APC, but INEC delayed the registration 'for strategic reasons.'

Details later