PDP Crisis: Tukur Reaches Out To Baraje Led PDP Members
Busolami Idowu
National Chairman of the “Old PDP” (Peoples Democratic Party), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has extended a hand of fellowship to all aggrieved members of the splinter PDP group, asking them to return to the fold of the PDP in order to allow the party forge a common front ahead of the President’s proposed National Conference.
“I appeal to members of the PDP to align with the President on the national confab agenda. I also appeal to our aggrieved members to return to the PDP for us to forge a common endeavour towards rebuilding the party and our country in particular”, Tukur said in a statement.
“For this reason, I will not shy away from begging our party members to come together so we can enter the national confab like a team and set examples for the rest of Nigeria.
“In doing that, we would have demonstrated that we remain the most serious party, not only in Nigeria, but in Africa.”
Tukur berated those shooting down the idea of a dialogue as proposed by President Goodluck Jonathan, describing them as “hypocrites”.
Tukur said the National dialogue was in tandem with the PDP’s triple ‘D’ agenda of Dialogue, Defence and Diplomacy and wondered why persons who were once in support of a national conference were now railing against the idea in the media.
“Yes, we seem to be at the crossroads in PDP and that is normal in democracy. However, what is not normal is if we resolved to permanently stand apart with little regards to our memorable starting line, past efforts in building the party as well as our common aspirations in raising PDP to be the most formidable among all.
“Let me reiterate that I am not the cause of the crises in our party as the National Chairman.”