Governor Lamido: Tukur Is PDP’s Problem

A member of the G-9 that midwived the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, has described the PDP as a big political party with a weak leadership.

This is even as he insisted that Governor Rotimi Ameachi of Rivers State and not Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, is the authentic Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF). He said if the PDP leadership has any problem with that, it should come to the NGF and say so.
Lamido made these known at the weekend in an interview on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Hausa Service, which was monitored by Daily Sun.
The governor, who was speaking for the first time since the NGF’s crisis broke out last month, also alleged that since Alhaji Bamanga Tukur took over as the National Chairman of the party, the leadership has continued to operate in illegality. According to him, both the Sokoto State and Rivers State governors still remain members of the party.
He said: “The present leadership of Bamanga Tukur has been operating in illegality. He has refused to convene a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting since he became chairman, whereas our party’s law says NEC meeting must hold at least once in three months.
“It appears there is a failure of leadership in the PDP. But I believe members of the party know their rights and they know what to do to protect the interest of Nigerians.
“At the grassroot level, the two governors (Amaechi and Wamakko) have the support of their people. So may be some day, the leadership of the party would realize their error.
“But since our party’s leaders do not operate in the interest of the PDP, those of us PDP governors still see Amaechi and Wamakko as members of the party and we are giving them all the necessary support,” Lamido said.
While insisting that notwithstanding current challenges of the party, it was capable of resolving the issue, the Jigawa governor further said “if leaders of the PDP do not agree with our election of Ameachi as the NGF chairman, it is their problem”, noting that the PDP leadership should visit the NGF and say why it does not want Amaechi.