President Goodluck Jonathan announced Alhaji Bamanga Tukur’s resignation at the National Executive Committee meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party yesterday.
The President who was characteristically not vindictive in his speech gave the outgoing Chairman a soft landing. He blamed his exit due to internal Party crises that were not unusual in politics and thanked him for his service.
Jonathan said: “We have some internal problems that have been agitating the minds of people and let us really thank the working committee, led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
“They have done very well; the chairman of our party, we have all known. He didn’t just wake up to be chairman of our party; he has paid his dues. He has held several offices and worked for this country and he has done very well.
“For us to make sure that we rest these issues, the party chairman agreed to step aside. On some of the issues that we have internally, because I wouldn’t want to waste too much of your time, myself and the chairman would leave you and the deputy chairman will coordinate and the meeting will progress to discuss other things.
“Myself and the chairman will go to the State House for some issues that we need to discuss. He is not guilty in anyway. I am going to give him a tougher job than that of party chairman.”
Speaking on the crisis in the PDP, Jonathan said, “It is a political environment; if these things are not happening, then the country is dead.
“We are going to meet again on Monday to get a replacement from the Northeast zone – in line with our party’s constitution.
“We are going to meet with key stakeholders to get a man or woman that is acceptable to all.”
Speaking before Jonathan, Tukur said, “It has been a matter of honour for me to have served our party and indeed a rare privilege to have become its national chairman.
“I am grateful to the seven deities of goodluck with which Almighty God has endowed me. I am delighted to have had the opportunity to nurture and deliver an idea – that is, the need for discipline and internal democratic practices within our party.
“I charge you all, members of our party, to install new national values that are driven less by personal greed and power and more by national interests in order to serve and face the challenges facing our country.
“In conclusion, as we re-invent the foundation of internal consensus, let us endeavour to flaunt the good works of our various governments at all the tiers of governance. We shall overcome. Yes we can.”