Former Nasarawa governor, others join Atiku-led PDP faction

All entrants to the new faction accuse the PDP leadership of being dictatorial.

The Nasarawa state campaign coordinator for the election of the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, has abandoned the party for a new faction led by former vice president, Atiku Abubakar.

Rayyanu Iliyasu said Mr. Tukur’s leadership style was “dictatorial” and not in consonance with the party constitution, and said Sunday’s sacking of Bamanga Tukur by the Atiku faction was long overdue.

He said members of the Nasarawa state PDP Concern group led by former governor, Abdullahi Adamu, will key into the faction of the party led by Mr. Abubakar and eight serving governors.

When contacted Mr. Adamu, a serving senator, confirmed his membership of the Atiku-led group.

Mr. Adamu said the formation of the group was to revive the party and bring about cordiality and strengthened democratic norms in line with accepted practice that will bring the people closer to their political fate.

The new faction emerged on Sunday at the party’s special convention in Abuja. The former vice president is the most senior member of the group that has a former acting chairman of the broad party, Abubakar Baraje, as chairman.

The group said they now represent the legitimate PDP and accused the Bamanga Tukur-led party of violating party rules and hijacking the party.

Mr. Iliyasu said as members of the original party, they will strive to ensure sanity in the party and called on members to be law abiding for the party and the country to move forward.

Also speaking, a former House of Representatives member, Ahmed Wada, representing Keffi – Karu – Kokona, confirmed his acceptance of the new leadership and promised to ensure that the party moves with the people.

Mr. Wada, who is a member of the concern group, said their leader, Mr. Adamu and teaming members of the group have accepted the new National leadership of party and will work together assiduously to remove the party from the shackle of bondage.