Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the National Chairman of PDP, described the members of the splinter group, which called itself the New PDP and led by Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, as impostors.
The PDP Chairman spoke during a press conference in Abuja, on September 4, 2013, Wednesday. Tukur in company with other members of the party's National Working Committee (NWC) threatened to declare the seats of members of the New PDP in the National Assembly vacant.
Tukur said: “There is only one lawfully recognised PDP and I am firmly in charge. Let me state categorically that the PDP as the sole custodian of the sacred mandate of over 160 million Nigerians and who in the last 14 years has lifted high the banner of democracy will not fold its arms while some undemocratic and unpatriotic elements destroy our common destiny by causing divisions and confusion among the people.
“Consequently, we shall ensure that any person who is not duly elected into any leadership position in our great party and has not been duly assigned any role but goes ahead to arrogate such to himself will be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“Similarly, all persons elected on the platform of our great party at all levels who identify with these enemies of the oneness and greatness of our party shall have their seats declared vacant as required by law.”
According to a statement read and signed by the PDP national chairman at the press briefing, he said, “Gentlemen of the press, you are aware of the current developments in our great party. Our reason for being here is to inform you without any iota of doubt that the Peoples Democratic Party has no faction and there is neither room nor reason whatsoever for such a claim under any guise.
“The PDP has only one duly elected National Executive Committee (NEC) under my Chairmanship. I wish therefore to state with all emphasis that any group of persons parading themselves as leaders of NEC or any other organ of our party are impostors and I urge all Nigerians, especially the security agencies and other institutions of democracy to regard them as such.
“Let me state categorically that the PDP as the sole custodian of the sacred mandate of over 160 million Nigerians and who in the last fourteen years has lifted high the banner of democracy will not fold its arms while some undemocratic and unpatriotic elements destroy our common destiny by causing divisions and confusion among the people.
“Consequently, we shall ensure that any person who is not duly elected into any leadership position in our great party and has not been duly assigned any role but goes ahead to arrogate such to himself will be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“Similarly, all persons elected on the platform of our great party at all levels who identify with these enemies of the oneness and greatness of our party shall have their seats declared vacant as required by law.
“We shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that such persons and indeed any other individual who attempts to subvert the leadership of the PDP shall reap in full, the consequences of such actions.
“I wish to emphasize that the PDP has adequate mechanism for internal conflict resolution. All party members are therefore advised to ventilate their grievances through this medium. There is only one lawfully recognized PDP and I am firmly in charge.”
No questions were entertained at the press conference.
The New PDP, whose birth was announced on Saturday, originally had in its fold former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and seven governors elected on the platform of the crisis-torn party.
The governors are Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano). Others are Mr. Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), Alhaji Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto).
As at Tuesday, 22 senators and 57 members of Nigeria's House of Representatives have joined the splinter group.
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