National Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur today instituted legal action against the faction of the party led by erstwhile Acting National Chairman Abubakar Baraje, further deteriorating a crisis that has defied frantic moves by leading lights of the party for solution.
In the suit before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, counsel to Tukur’s faction, Tochukwu Onwugbufor is seeking an ex-parte order restraining Baraje’s faction from parading themselves as the national executives of the party. This is ostensibly a reactionary move, considering that the Baraje-led faction made the same move earlier in the week.
Onwugbufor joined former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Doctor Sam Jaja and former National Secretary of the party, Olagunsoye Oyinlola with Abubakar baraje as defendants in the suit.
Presiding judge, Justice Emma Chukwu ordered that the respondents should be put on notice, served through substituted means.
Justice Chukwu said he could have granted the sought ex-part order, particular as its aim is to forestall a state of anarchy. However, he opted to strike a balance by first seeing to it that the respondents are put on notice.
Ordering both parties to maintain the status quo antebellum, pending the determination of the suit, he fixed 12th September for the hearing of the motion on notice.
Southeast PDP Backs Jonathan, Tukur
Embattled President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur have received the support of the South East zone of the party.
Issuing a statement to explicitly declare its stand in the factionalisation of the ruling party, the zone passed a vote of confidence on the national leadership of the party and expressed regrets over last Saturday’s emergence of a breakaway group spearheaded by the likes of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Acting National Chairman Abubakar Baraje.
“The PDP South East Zone hereby places its implicit and unreserved vote of confidence on the leadership of the Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan-led Federal Government and the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP,” National Vice Chairman of the South East Zone, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd) wrote in the statement, urging all aggrieved members to shield their swords and work for a united PDP that will always deliver the mandate of the people.
“We regret the incident that trailed our Special Convention last Saturday at the Eagles Square, Abuja where some of our members staged a workout and wish to advise those aggrieved members to yield themselves to the on-going re-conciliatory measures for an amicable resolution of the standoff.
“The PDP as a large family is bound to have some altercations because of the different shades of opinions and interests. However, the ability to resolve the crisis as swiftly as it arises is what makes a party a truly national one.”
The statement added that as a “democratic” organization, PDP “maintains internal democracy and also gives room for resolution of grievances whose scope had been raised to the highest pedestal of party politics to accommodate elders and critical Stakeholders in the PDP since last Saturday.”
