Update: PDP chairmen shun meeting with Jonathan

Sani Tukur

Bamanga Tukur, troubled PDP chairman

True to their threats, chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in states governed by the party shunned a scheduled meeting on Thursday night with President Goodluck Jonathan.
The chairmen had threatened to boycott the meeting because they were embittered by the treatment meted out to them by the National Chairman of the party, Bamanga Tukur.

In a meeting on Thursday evening preparatory to the one with Mr. Jonathan, Mr. Tukur walked out all the chairmen from the PDP controlled states insisting he had time only for the party chairmen from states controlled by opposition parties.

This action greatly angered the party leaders who vowed that they would not attend the meeting with the president.

“The president can as well also meet with the thirteen (non PDP controlled state) chairmen,” one of the chairmen was quoted as saying.

PREMIUM TIMES contacted one of the chairmen, Friday morning, and he confirmed that the meeting did not hold.

“Well we just dispersed last night and no meeting held. They did not contact us again and we also did not make any effort,” he said. “As I speak with you now we are making arrangements to return to our bases states),” the party chairman who did not want his name disclosed, said.
Mr. Tukur is facing trying times in the PDP, especially with its governors. His fate in the party remains shaky and the move to exclude the party leaders of PDP controlled states is allegedly because he believes he cannot influence their actions as they are loyal to their governors.
Efforts to get the reaction of the PDP to yesterday nights incidents were unsuccessful as the party’s spokesperson, Olisa Metuh, did not return calls made to his phone. He did not reply text messages either.
Meanwhile, reports reaching us indicate that Vice President Namadi Sambo met with the G84 group last night at the presidential villa. The G84 are also members of the PDP National Executive Council, NEC
Details of what was discussed are still unclear, same as the reason why President Jonathan skipped the meeting.
The various meetings being held by the presidency and the party hierarchy are believed to be a way for President Goodluck Jonathan to secure enough support from members prior to a NEC meeting to be held very soon.
It is believed that many of the PDP state governors will demand Mr. Tukur’s removal at the NEC meeting.
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