'You'll lose your seats,' Tukur threatens rebel PDP govs, lawmakers

The National Chairman of the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), Bamanga Tukur, appears undeterred by the gathering storm in his party as he threatened to deal decisively members of the splinter group.

Tukur warned all members of the party parading themselves as factional executives of the 'New PDP', despite on-going attempts to resolve the crisis rocking the party, to desist forthwith of risk a sledgehammer from the party leadership.

The national chairman, who was addressing journalists in Abuja, on Wednesday said he would  ensure that governors and National Assembly members that joined the Abubakar Baraje led breakaway faction of the party lose their seats.

Similarly, Tukur said other PDP chieftains that joined the faction would be expelled from the ruling party.

According to him, the National Working Committee, which he heads, is the only recognised leadership structure of the party.

Incidentally, the rebel group led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and seven governors, mainly from the North, had earlier filed a suit against Tukur, asking the court to stop him from parading himself as the National Chairman of the PDP

According to the national chairman, the party will not watch as attempts are being made to destroy it.

. 'The People's Democratic Party has no faction and there is neither room nor reason for such a claim under any guise,' Tukur said in an e-mailed statement.

Any unelected person who 'goes ahead to arrogate such to himself will be made to face the full wrath of the law.'

The party has won all general elections since Africa's top oil producer ended more than 15 years of military rule in 1999. President Goodluck Jonathan, a southern Christian, is facing a mounting challenge from northern Muslims who accuse him of breaching an unwritten rule to rotate power between the two regions when he ran in 2011 elections.

Jonathan had succeeded Umaru Yar'Adua, a northern Muslim, who died in office in 2010. He hasn't ruled out running for another term when his current four-year tenure ends in 2015, prompting efforts to take control of the party by rival interest groups.

A majority of the seven state governors and 79 lawmakers who have expressed support for the dissident faction is from Nigeria's mainly Muslim north. Southern Nigeria has a predominantly Christian population.

Ruling party lawmakers 'who identify with these enemies of the oneness and greatness of our party shall have their seats declared vacant as required by law.' Tukur said.