National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur has urged ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo to reconsider plans of dumping the party, saying PDP still needs his fatherly aura and political experience.
Obasanjo had written Tukur and President Goodluck Jonathan on 7th January 2014, threatening to withdraw his involvement with the party over the appointment of Buruji Kashamu, “a criminal wanted abroad”, as Coordinator of the zone south-west zone. But responding, Tukur begged Obasanjo to stay.
“It is an honour that you deemed it fit and proper to intimate me with an issue important to your mind and our party in the south-west zone”, Tukur wrote. “It is my wish and prayer that such cordial and positive relationship will continue”.
He noted that Obasanjo has vast experience as one of the founding fathers of the party, which will be useful in strengthening the party, going forward.
“PDP has more pressing challenges, bordering most importantly on the coming Ekiti and Osun States governorship elections and the 2015 general elections”, he said, adding that Obasanjo’s strong inputs would be required for PDP to reclaim lost grounds in the South-West.
“I thank you for your gesture and I pray that we shall all continue to dialogue and partner, so he can move our party forward. Baba also said there was the need for PDP to attain success in the governorship elections coming up in Ekiti and Osun and the subsequent elections in 2015.
“This is critical to reclaiming lost grounds in the south-west zone of the country. The National Executive Committee (NEC) and the National Working Committee were never part of the problems in the south-west PDP.
“We came in when we were threatened with contempt of court charges for not obeying the court’s order to dissolve the south-west zonal executive and remove some officers of the party”, further explaining that compliance with the court orders were because of the party’s belief in the rule of law as well as the need to avoid consequences of disobeying such orders.
