Like a cat with nine lives, the National Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur emerged from the party’s National Executive Committee a survivor of attempts to remove him from office, putting an end to the anxiety around his fate.
Tukur’s saving grace was President Goodluck Jonathan who pleaded with some leaders of the party to give the former governor of the old Gongola state another chance.
Before the Thursday meeting of the highest decision-making body of the PDP, Jonathan reportedly held not less than four pre-NEC sessions to avert Tukur’s removal which had been hatched to take the form of a vote of no confidence.
Jonathan, according to an impeccable source, held series of meetings with the Board of Trustees, PDP governors loyal to him, ‘identified elders’ of the PDP as well as the PDP Caucus in the National Assembly.
Tukur was on the verge of being shown the exit door following the insistence of some aggrieved PDP governors that the only antidote for peace in the party was the removal of the national chairman with whom they have been having running battles.
A Presidency source told this correspondent in confidence that President Jonathan had no choice than to come to the aid of Tukur.
“The president had no choice, my brother; dumping Tukur at this critical time would spell doom for everybody. As politicians, those fighting Tukur, those he is fighting and governors fighting amongst themselves are doing that as a result of one thing-the 2015 election. Do not forget that those calling for Tukur’s head are doing so as means to an end. Under such a situation, saving him is the best. Best of course, as human beings, Tukur may have seen the need to bring all together because leaders were frank with him”, he said.
However, the NEC accepted the resignation of 20 other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and members of NEC of the party, with an interim committee of 21 members already appointed to work with Tukur, till July 20, when a mini-national convention of the party would be held.
The mini-convention is to elect properly the new national officers of the party as required by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The NEC also fixed July 11 for the South-West zonal congress of the party, to enable the delegates to join others from other zones.
It also set up a national convention organising committee headed by a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Professor Jerry Gana, while the deputy Senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, was named the secretary of the committee that would have representatives from each states of the federation and Abuja.
Briefing newsmen at the end the NEC meeting, a member of the BOT, Professor Gana said all the actions were taken in the overall interest of the party.
Professor Gana assured that the committee would organise a credible convention where new officers of the party would be legally elected.
Professor Gana said because of the time limitation, the committee would meet today and write to notify the INEC about the mini-national convention fixed for July 20.
Meanwhile, beside Rivers State governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, who is under suspension, four other governors elected on the ticket of the party failed to show up at the NEC meeting.
The governors also failed to send representatives, while no reason was given for their absence. They included Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Martin Elechi (Ebonyi); Sullivan Chime (Enugu) and Gabriel Suswam (Benue).
Among party chieftains at the NEC were President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice President Namadi Sambo; Senate President, David Mark; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal; Deputy Senate President, Ekweremadu; Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim.
Other PDP governors, except that of Katsina and Jigawa, who sent their deputies, were in attendance.
Members of the interim NWC approved by NEC are Honourable Chibudom Nwuche, deputy national chairman; Dr Remi Akintoye, national secretary; Senator Emma Agboti, deputy national secretary; Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar, national organising secretary; Tony Ceaser Okeke, national publicity secretary; Simon D. Jok, national legal adviser and Mr Tanko Beji, national youth leader.
Others are Oyibo Nwaneri, women leader; Yau Kwadon, deputy national legal adviser; Peter Adefunmilayo, deputy national youth leader; Nasiru Ibrahim Birchi, deputy national auditor; Mrs Torkwase Ajoh, deputy national women leader; Mohammed Dandari, national treasurer; Onyemaechi Ikechukwu Jideofor, deputy national organising secretary; Awalu Gwalabe, deputy national financial secretary and Chief Augustine Lugbenwei, deputy national treasurer.
Also on the team are Caleb Yahaya, deputy national publicity secretary; while ex-officios are Chief Akin Taiwo, Tope Ademiluyi, Chief Mike Akinfenwa and Honourable Gbenga Oduwaiye.