PDP has lost focus — Bamangar Tukur

A founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the weekend, took a critical look at the party and its future electoral value and declared that the party has lost focus, saying that it would fade out if not repackaged to its original concept

Alhaji Tukur, who disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja, while formally declaring his intention to contest for the position of the national chairman of the party at its forthcoming national convention, lamented that the party, which is now a shadow of itself, was formed based on principle of inclusiveness by its founding fathers.

He also dismissed the claims in the some quarters that the party would be in power in the country forever, saying that “it is a mere wishful thinking, unless the party does the right thing, if not, it will fade away soon.”

Alhaji Turkur, who is the president of the Africa Business Roundtable, equally lamented the constant imposition of candidates in the party as against popular choice, declaring that this singular act had cost the party millions of its members nationwide, who defected to other political parties.

Alhaji Tukur, a former governor of the Old Gongola State, said the problem with the party started way back in November 1999, during its national convention in Abuja, when the powers that be prevented the late Chief S.B. Awoniyi from becoming the national chairman of the party and imposed Chief Barnabas Gemade on the party.”

According to him, “the national convention we had in Jos, Plateau State, was very free, fair and credible, but then came that of Abuja, where the late S.B. Awoniyi was prevented form becoming the national chairman, another candidate was imposed on the party.”