Turaki faction rejects Wike-backed convention

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, faction under the leadership of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki on Monday rejected the national convention of the party which held in Abuja on Sunday. The Turaki faction described the convention as a “pre-Easter jamboree of APC sympathisers and members of Wike’s Autocratic Party”. Spokesman of the Turaki-led group, Comrade Ini Ememobong, […]

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, faction under the leadership of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki on Monday rejected the national convention of the party which held in Abuja on Sunday.

The Turaki faction described the convention as a “pre-Easter jamboree of APC sympathisers and members of Wike’s Autocratic Party”.

Spokesman of the Turaki-led group, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said genuine members of the PDP across the country have expressed their concern about the prevailing situation, adding that the Supreme Court will have the final say on the crisis.

The PDP has been divided into two factions with the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki faction loyal to the PDP Governors and the Abdulrahman Muhammed faction loyal to the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

The development followed the National Convention of the party in Ibadan in November last year supported by the governors which produced Turaki as National Chairman and other members of the National Working Committee.

Not satisfied with the convention which PDP members loyal to Wike refused attend, the Wike-led faction on their part put together a 13-member National Caretaker Working Committee in December, with Mohammed as National Chairman to superintend over the party until the weekend convention.

Ememobong,said the convention, was held in contempt of the Court of Appeal, as parties had entered appearances and agreed with the Court on the way to proceed with the matter, only to turn around and undertake acts capable of destroying the party.

He said with the series of disturbing activities occurring in succession within the last 48 hours, genuine members of the PDP across the country have expressed their concerns and are asking what the future holds for the party and the nation’s democracy.

“We reassure that we have taken this battle to the Supreme Court for the determination of all the issues relating to the leadership of our party, particularly as it relates to what constitutes an internal affair.”

He added: “The validity of that gathering is now a matter before the court, which we will diligently follow to its conclusion.”

Ememobong alleged that these crises are clearly orchestrated by the  government saying it is due fear is fuelled by their knowledge of the impending rejection Nigerians are waiting to serve them because of their abysmal performance.

But in a swift reaction, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, the new Spokesman of the Wike faction said they are open to reconciliation, but the Turaki group must accept them as duly elected party leaders for the reconciliation to commence.

He said negotiation is an ongoing thing as political parties do experience little misunderstanding amongst themselves and once you have aggrieved people, you tend to reconcile them. “So reconciliation, with or without these circumstances, is part and parcel of the day-to-day activities of a political party.”