By Busolami Idowu 

Stories emerging from the Presidency have shown that President Goodluck Jonathan, Alhaji Bamaga Tukur Chairman of the Wadata Plaza faction of the PDP and top members of the BOT went into a long closed door review meeting over emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s faction of the PDP.

According to a source close to Alhaji Tukur, the President lamented the over concentration of resources and attention of the party machinery on the activities of the opposition especially the All Progressive Alliance (APC). This he said was responsible for the registration of the PDM under it’s nose without any knowledge until it was announced. And the biggest blow of the faction emergence at their convention ground.

The leaders of the Tukur led PDP were said to have been rattled by the walk-out and the announcement of Alhaji OBJAbubakar Baraje and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as National Chairman and Secretary respectively under the guidance of Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

Following the development, feelers from grapevine said that the Board Of Trustees (BOT) Chairman of the embattled PDP, Chief Tony Anenih has summoned an emergency meeting of the PDP NEC, NWC, Governors and NASS for today in Abuja to discuss unfolding events within the party

“It is a major split and a big blow to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), because seven of our serving governors have decided to fight us from within by forming a faction of the party.” a national officer of the Tukur faction volunteered when contacted on phone by NigerianEcho. The source however said chieftains of the party were mandated to do everything possible to bring sanity back to the Party in the shortest possible time.

Abdufatah Ahmed of Kwara, Muazu Aliyu of Niger, Musa Kwankwaso of Kano, Sule Lamido of Jigawa and Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto States walked out of the Eagle Square, venue of the party’s convention in Abuja. They were later joined by Governors Murtala Nyako of Adamawa and Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers States, who were barred from attending the convention due to suspension.

Senator Bukola Saraki and many former national national officers of the PDP are also said to be members of the newly formed parallel PDP. The group told a news conference, that it has taken over the party’s structure to salvage the PDP from those who have hijacked it.

All the governors elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, except the Governors of Kebbi and Bauchi states, Usman Dakingari and Isa Yuguda respectively, left President Goodluck Jonathan at the Eagles Square in Abuja, venue of the party’s mini convention, on Saturday night.

The governors, after hearing about the walkout of six of their colleagues, left the venue of the party’s convention one after the other, dejected. The vibrant Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Godwill Akpabio, refused to speak with journalists when he was leaving our correspondent noticed that he was looking dejected and unhappy, Akpabio, who had earlier spoken eloquently and assured the President of the support of his fellow governors, walked out of the venue with his head bowed. Putting his hands in his pocket and refusing to look up.

Governor Akpabio of Akwa-Ibom a strong supporter of the President had earlier told President Jonathan that “Enemies you see today, you will see them no more”. This was said to have been a veiled attack on Gov. Muazu Babangida who has been praising the President especially at recent functions and seen by the Presidency and Tukur’s PDP as a “friend and not an enemy”.

Surprisingly Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s silence at the development further worries stakeholders especially the fact that some Governors who appeared to be loyal to the former President are in alliance with his enstranged former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. “The PDP at Wadata is surely heading for a retreat and the drawing board” the source opined.