PDP NWC members meet Jonathan, demand removal of Tukur

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, may not survive this one: members of the National Working Committee (NWC ) of the party want him out.

The NWC on Thursday reported Tukur to President Goodluck Jonathan,  saying point blank that they have totally  lost  confidence in him.

In a meeting with Jonathan Thursday night,  the NWC members accused  Tukur of  running the PDP as a one man business.

They also accused him of turning his  Wuse Private residence to the  National Secretariat of the party. These charges by the NWC re-echo some of the   complaints that drove some of the serving governors out of the party. They had complained bitterly about the authoritarian style of the Adamawa State born politician

According to sources, the NWC members let the president know that Tukur leadership has been a hamstring in the wheels of the party.

The chairman, it was learnt, was openly challenged to point to one major achievement under his leadership.

NWC shared their belief that Tukur was the only problem in the party, citing the unprecedented defections of party members.

The particularly told the president that they were not carried along in some of the decisions taken by the chairman, including the  recent  dissolution of Kwara and Sokoto States PDP executive Committees.

They urged the president to urgently save the party of imminent collapse especially ahead of 2015 presidential election.

According to the sources, Tukur in response noted that they were together, promising to  improve on the existing relationships.

In his characteristic manner, however, he resorted to blackmail by saying that people were fighting him because of 2015 and President Jonathan’s ambition.

This, it was gathered, elicited sharp rebuke form the NWC members who warned against playing that time-worn blackmail card.

It was further learnt that president Jonathan was surprised by the magnitude of charges against Tukur by his colleagues, but promised to  look into it at a meeting he will hold with leaders of the party next week.

Jonathan will be meeting with the  Board of Trustees, BoT, and National Caucus meetings  and ultimately National Executive Committee (NEC) on January 16.

Present at the meeting were the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo;  Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus; National Auditor, Adewole Adeyanju; National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh; National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha.

Others were the  National Treasurer; National Financial Secretary, Elder Bolaji Anani; National Woman Leader, Mrs Kema Chikwe; National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwom and National Youth leader, Abdullahi MaiBasira. Only the deputy National Secretary, Onwe Solomon Onwe was said to be absent because he was still in the East.