Kaduna PDP chieftains dump Tukur for Baraje-led faction; ...blasts VP Namadi Sambo

The crisis rocking the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) may linger for a long time, as founding members of the party in Kaduna state decided to dump the Bamanga Tukur led faction, to pitch tents with the Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led PDP faction, citing the dwindling fortunes of the party under the leadership of Bamanga Tukur and the Kaduna state chairman as their major reason.

The members include a former chairman of the party in the state, Mr Yaro Makama and former member of the State House of Assembly, Mr Gideon Morik.

According to a statement signed by Mr Yaro Makama and Gideon Morik on behalf of other aggrieved members, the decision to identify with the New PDP was taken after a deep reflection on the happenings in Kaduna state, since the elevation of Namadi Sambo as Vice President.

“It is instructive that since the elevation of Sambo as Vice President, the fortunes and prestige of the party in the state has been declining rather than improving, because he has been incapable of rallying the people under its umbrella.

Although it is not surprising, since he lacks the political wherewithal and the requisite structure to preside over the politics of the state, but it was expected that he would come to terms with his inadequacies and enlist the support of established political actors.

This expectation has been a forlorn hope because the Vice President has surrounded himself with political paperweights.

Sambo’s drive of political exclusionism is to hunt for enemies even where they don’t exist”.

The statement added that all efforts by concerned party members and elders to make the vice president see reason, as well as draw the attention of the sacked party leadership were in vain.

The members further stated that the revolutionary decision by the seven governors of the party to dump the erstwhile leadership under Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and nominate Kawu Baraje as the New PDp leadership needs to be replicated in all states chapter of the party, especially Kaduna state where the support base of the party has been shrinking since 2007, when Namadi Sambo became governor and decided to dump founding members of the party.