PDP superior to President, govs – Tukur

National Chairman of the party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur

The National Chairman of the crisis-ridden  Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur,   has said the party is superior to the offices  of  President and  governor.

Tukur, in a veiled reference to the lingering battle for the control of the soul of the  PDP,  advised the party members and other Nigerians to learn to build institutions and not individuals.

He spoke on Thursday while hosting the Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Ramalan Yero, at  the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.

Yero’s visit was  his first since he assumed office following the death of the former Governor of the state, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, in a helicopter crash with the former National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoye Azazi (retd.), on December 15, 2012.

Governors elected on the platform of the party are currently at loggerheads with Tukur over the running of the party.

Also, some members of the NWC  are  against some of the decisions taken by Tukur in the running of the party, especially the sacking of the  executive of  Adamawa State  chapter of the PDP.

A majority of the NWC members are also in support of the removed National Secretary of the party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

Oyinlola was removed from office via a court order, which ruled on Friday that the congress that brought him to office from the South-West was illegal.

But Tukur, who was surrounded by a few members of the divided NWC, said the time had come for the party members to learn to build institutions.

He said, “Let us build the institution of government strong, it is not the personality, it is the institution. For us, the party is supreme it is not the NWC or the President or the governors. It is the institution of the party itself that is supreme because all of us come in and go.”

Tukur also lamented the level of insecurity in the country, saying that there was no way peace would reign without security.

He urged Nigerians to distance themselves from Boko Haram.

The PDP  chairman said, “Peace is important and peace cannot reign unless security is assured. People  talk about Boko Haram. When you have somebody who decides to kill himself and also kill you, we should distance  ourselves from such people.”

He called for peace and dialogue as a way of addressing the insecurity in every part of the country, especially the northern part.

Tukur  charged  governors to move the people from the position of want to the position of plenty  by “giving them education to defend and empower themselves”.

He  said, “We as leaders are here (and) our job is to ensure we support all actions being done to help the promotion and development of our people.”

Speaking with reporters after the visit, Yero lamented the untimely death of  Yakowa, who he described as a great loss to the nation.

He, however, promised to continue with the development of the state where the late governor stopped.

The PDP chairman had earlier in a statement said that the post of the national secretary of the party would still  return to the South-West.

In  the  statement by a member of his media team, Tajudeen Kareem, on Thursday, Tukur  described the removal  Oyinlola  as a temporary setback.

He  said, “The party is determined to adhere to its original zoning arrangement and members of the NWC have pledged to ensure that the post of national secretary returns to the South-West as soon as possible.”

Tukur also reiterated his plan to placate members of the party in the South-West following  the removal of  Oyinlola as the party’s national secretary.

The statement said, “His (Tukur’s)  message is to re-assure the South-West that the removal of Chief Oyinlola should be regarded as a temporary setback and that the party has no choice but to abide by  the pronouncement of the court.”

Consultations with leaders of the zone will continue on Saturday in Abeokuta, Ogun State,  where   Tukur will preside as chairman at a civic reception for  former President Olusegun Obasanjo being organised by the South-West zone of the PDP.

Tukur will on Saturday meet with the  PDP stakeholders in the zone,  including Obasanjo, Chief Bode George, Chief Dapo Sarumi, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Chief  Segun Oni, Chief Bode Olajumoke and Otunba Oyewole Fasawe.

Others are Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, Chief Yekeen Adeojo, Chief Lekan Balogun, Chief Richard Akinjide, Chief Adebayo Alao Akala, Chief Tunji Olurin and Chief Joju Fadiro.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that the President and Tukur sought the support of the former national chairmen of the party during a meeting at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday night.

A top chieftain of the party said, “The invitation of the former chairmen was part of the ongoing consultations by the national chairman.

“The President and the national chairman sought the support of the ex-chairmen, who are now elders of the party,” the PDP chieftain added.

The former chairmen, including Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, Senator Barnabas Gemade; Dr. Okweliese Nwodo, are members of the party’s National Executive Council of the PDP.

The NEC, which has 97 members, is dominated by governors.

The council has the power to dissolve the NWC.