PDP set To Declare New PDP lawmakers’ Seats Vacant

THE Bamanga Tukur-led Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) is set to declare vacant seats of members of the National Assembly with sympathy for the Abubakar Baraje-led faction of the party.

It was gathered that the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP is repackaging the plan to declare the seats vacant following Thursday’s decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Tukur leadership and the dismissal of a case instituted in Lagos by the Baraje faction.

“The G7 governors lost round one and round two in the course of the week. Now the fate of the G7 is not certain because a number of measures are on hand to deal with the situation. The group has challenged the authority of the PDP. The PDP led by Tukur may declare the seats of all new PDP and those who openly or quietly associate with them in the National Assembly vacant,” a source close to the party said

.

 It was also gathered that some shockers await members of the National Working Committee of the new PDP as members of the mainstream PDP are describing their action as a civilian coup.

“What they did amounts to a civilian coup. They wanted to take over the leadership of the party by force. This sort of attitude is not in line with the disciplined ethics of the Tukur-led PDP and it is very clear that the Board of Trustees and the National Working Committee (NWC) will not tolerate any such thing,” another source said.

Investigations within the mainstream PDP also confirmed that the party had so far followed the disposition of President Goodluck Jonathan, who has insisted that the rule of law must be followed in all instances.

“His government has, so far, followed the rule of law. That is why there is no hard stance or drastic action against the agitators even when they worked against the party. Now, he has told the party to handle the matter in accordance with the rule of law,” sources close to the government said.

It was also gathered that the government has decided to place all security agencies on red alert to ensure that all parties obey the ruling of the courts as delivered by the Lagos court on Thursday.

“The security agencies are on alert to stop anybody who violates the court order and anyone who attempts to disrespect the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),” a source said in Abuja on Friday.

Meanwhile, the PDP has said it is extending the olive branch to the aggrieved members of the party in the interest of peace.

In a statement issued in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Olisa Metuh, urged the members to return to the party’s fold.

The members, who include the governors of Niger, Kano, Rivers, Sokoto, Kwara, Adamawa and Jigawa states, appointed fresh officers to run the affairs of the party and later filed a case against the party’s leadership.

The aggrieved members also wrote to INEC urging it not to recognise the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP, but the commission turned down the request.

The statement called on the aggrieved members “to come back home now” since INEC has recognised the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led executive as the authentic national executive.

Culled From: TRIBUNE