Bamanga Tukur Hits Back At PDP Governors

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Bamanga Tukur hit back yesterday at governors who are pushing for his removal.

He has accused some of the governors of nursing private agenda to make President Goodluck Jonathan vulnerable on his 2015 re-election bid.

Dr. Jonathan has not said he plans to seek reelection, although his aides have always said he is interested.

Tukur also alleged that some of the governors were nursing presidential ambition.

Tukur’s position was made known by his Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Senator Abubakar Umar Gada.

Tukur’s response was against the backdrop of PDP governors’ call for his removal.

The governors advised the President to give Tukur a choice ambassadorial appointment as his exit package.

Gada, who spoke apparently after consulting Tukur, said: “As far as the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, is concerned, the PDP governors are loyal to the President and the national leadership of the party, except for a few with hidden agenda who are nursing the plot to remove Tukur because of their personal presidential ambition.

“These few governors that are clamouring for the removal of Tukur are doing so with a hidden agenda to make President Jonathan vulnerable.

“These governors that are clamouring for the removal of the national chairman are known with hidden presidential ambition.

“The plot is to remove Tukur and make Jonathan vulnerable, because the national chairman is blocking their political ambition,” he said.

Gada challenged the governors to list Tukur’s sins, if they are sincere.

He added: “The National Chairman of PDP has kept quiet for some time with the feeling that these governors will see reason and stop their negative campaign against him.

“What is the offence of the national chairman that the governors will be asking for his removal?

“Which of these governors has asked or made a legitimate request that the national chairman did not grant? What wrong has the national chairman done that a few of these governors would be asking for his head?

“The only crime that Alhaji Bamanga Tukur has committed is because he is loyal to President Jonathan. Do the few PDP governors clamouring for Tukur’s removal as national chairman want a national chairman that would be disobedient to the President?

“By setting the gimmick for the removal of Tukur as national chairman, they are going to make the president vulnerable and open for attacks.

“But we are happy that the President is wiser and completely aware of the plot of these few governors, who see Tukur as blocking their discreet presidential ambition.”

Although Gada did not mention any name, it was gathered that Tukur is suspecting two governors – one from the South and another from the North – of having presidential ambition.