THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been working round the clock to rebuild the party's support base since the loss of five governors and 37 members of House of Representatives who defected to the Al Progressives congress (APC) towards the end of last year. The embattled National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has cosmetically been in the throes of the crisis in the party even when it has been made clear that President Goodluck Jonathan's second term has been the major issue of controversy. Meanwhile, after much reluctance on the removal of Tukur as PDP chairman, President Jonathan is now under renewed pressure to sack the party's chairman and some members of the
Federal Executive Council (FEC).
The major thrust of agitation of the PDP G7 which included Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Governors Babangida Aliyu of Niger, Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Rab'iu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara and Aliyu Wamaka of Sokoto state, was the removal of Tukur as the party's national Chairman. The same demand was made by the enlarged aggrieved faction of the party known as new PDP led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The President remained reluctant to concede to the demands which culminated into the defection of several party members, including five governors.
Investigations revealed that the President has come under renewed pressure from notable PDP members to do away with the party chairman to curtail further loss as the ruling party commences the process of rebuilding its support base and possibly winning back some of the defected members.
It was gathered that one of Tukur's many wrongdoings was the indiscriminate suspension of some key party chieftains which also included the Sokoto State Governor, Wamako. Although the decisions were rescinded after President Jonathan intervened, it was however learnt that Tukur may have been misled by moles in the presidency who purportedly told the PDP National Chairman that the President wanted him to take those actions. Without seeking clarifications, Tukur was said to have gone ahead to announce the suspensions.
Tension over Tukur's continued stay in office became heightened with the innuendo that even PDP Governors who are still loyal to the party also demanded for Tukur's replacement as panacea to reconciliation and restoring peace in the party.
There are indications that Tukur may not go down alone. A reliable source revealed that the President is also considering yielding to popular demands for the sack of the Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke and Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah. Accordingly, it was disclosed that cabinet reshuffle in imminent in the possible shortest time. President Jonathan, it was gathered, has been advised by his close allies to do away with every one in government that has given him bad name or caused him public disenchantment. This is where these two ministers were said to be considered to be drooped in the cabinet reshuffle.
The Aviation minister was said to be on the dropping list because of the recent public outcry over the controversial $255 million two bullet proof cars purchased for the minister by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), in addition to several other allegations of misappropriation in the aviation sector over the years. The Petroleum Minister was also said to have caused President Jonathan monumental dissention over several accusations and allegations of improprieties and non-remittance of funds to the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Subsequently, the President will be appointing new ministers to fill the existing vacant positions in the cabinet, which include the Education Minister, Defence Minister, among others.
Several governors were said to be angry with the President over these vacancies, particularly, those who felt that the ministers dropped the previous time were those nominated by them. Several of the aggrieved governors were revealed to be seeking opportunities for nomination of their supporters into the federal cabinet.
In the overall, President Jonathan is clearly battling to save his job both now an in 2015 and has been strongly advised to sacrifice every one that has caused him one trouble or the other at different times.
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