BY HENRY UMORU
The much touted peace plans to unify the different tendencies and factions in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP have faltered. The factional leaders against the Bamanga Tukur-led mainstream are expected to make a major decision in the next few days

THE search for enduring peace in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may wait till next year given unfolding events in the party and in the polity, Vanguard checks have revealed. After several meetings interspersed with public spats, the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur mainstream of the party and the Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led faction had a month or so ago scheduled a parley for October 7.

Before the October 7 meeting, the Baraje faction through its National Publicity Secretary, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, issued a statement calling for its postponement because it’s members went for Hajj. However, some hours later, the same Eze came up with another statement that Baraje instructed that some of its governors would still hold the meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan and Tukur among others.

The October 7 meeting eventually took place with Governors Aliyu Babangida of Niger; Idris Wada of Kogi; Liyel Imoke of Cross River and Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara in attendance and at the end of which it was resolved that it should be postponed till after the Muslim and Christian pilgrimages.

If the issues must be resolved after the Christian pilgrimage, it thus means that the meeting must wait till next year because the pilgrimages are not expected to end before the second quarter of 2014. Dr. Jonathan it is learnt is also expected to participate in the pilgrimage.

Besides, the court decision in favour of the Tukur mainstream faction and the recognition given it by INEC may have further strengthened the Tukur group.

It was not surprising that the Tukur group is pressing its advantages through weakening the Baraje group wherever possible. Penultimate week, Tukur dissolved the Kano state executive of the party that was loyal to Governor Rabiu Kwankwanso and in its place empowered adversaries of the governor in the state in the 11 man caretaker committee led by Alhaji Hassan Kafayos and Andrew Musa as chairman and secretary respectively.

Among those empowered is Mohammed Abacha who has formally re-joined the party.

Another dimension to the pressures came with the notice from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT administration sealing the Adamawa State Governor’s Guest House in Maitama, Abuja, which the authorities claimed was being used as a secretariat of the nPDP.

That decision penultimate weekend came just after the Tukur leadership held out an olive branch to the G7 when it resolved not to reply to those it described as its aggrieved brothers in the Baraje led faction.

Addressing journalists at the end of 360th NWC meeting, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said, “in line with what the governors said at the meeting with the President about the reconciliatory meeting, the party has decided not to make further comments.”

The Baraje group was, however, suspicious of the moves with factional publicity scribe, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze alleged that the Tukur faction was only  following the hands of friendship extended to the Baraje group by Tukur, Vanguard sought to know how the Baraje group received the “good news.” But Eze Chukwuemeka Eze said that Tukur and his national NWC were only speaking grammar against the backdrop that they were only looking for something to hold on to.

Baraje and Tukur

“It is grammar Bamanga Tukur and his men are speaking, they are looking for anything to hold on to;  how can an illegal occupant of your house now come and say you should take part of the house?

“They are just speaking grammar, when they are ready for the Olive Branch, we will know. They know us and we know them, they cannot go to the pages of newspapers and ask that they want us, we are not ready for that, we have gone beyond this level. “They are so desperate, we are not children in this game of politics, if we can fight the military to get the present democracy we are enjoying today, this fight is as childish one.”

Despite the recent setbacks from the courts and INEC, the Baraje led nPDP has not given up, as it has vowed to press on with its case to strip the Tukur led group of legitimacy.

INEC in a letter by its Acting Secretary, U.F Usman to the Baraje led group, had said that it would not withdraw the recognition it accorded the Bamanga Tukur led NWC because as an electoral umpire, it witnessed the processes that led to his emergence as National Chairman as well as other members of NWC.

The INEC letter to the Baraje faction with the title “ Notification of Change in the change of leadership of PDP and request for formal recognition” read, “Commission acknowledges the receipt of your letters dated September 1, and 23, 2013 respectively wherein you requested the commission’s recognition of the Abubakar Baraje faction of the newly elected National Working Committee.

“You will recall the commission monitored the national convention and the special national convention of the PDP held on March 12, 2012 and August 31, 2013 respectively, which took place at the Eagle Square Abuja, after notices to the commission. A National Working Committee was elected at the two conventions wherein Alhaji Bamanga Tukur was elected as the national chairman.

“The commission will not withdraw recognition from the leadership of the PDP elected at the election duly monitored by the commission. Please be guided:”, INEC said in the letter addressed to Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Oyi River Crescent , Off IBB Boulevard, Maitama Abuja.”

Following these developments, Tukur held out an olive branch to the seven aggrieved governors and members of the Baraje led new PDP and pleaded with them to put behind them all burning issues and embrace peace.

Tukur who spoke through the PDP national Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement, urged all aggrieved members who broke away to form the new PDP during the last Special Convention to, as matter of urgency, drop personal interest and join Tukur to achieve the set goals of having a virile and strong PDP.

With the return of the G7 governors that went for the Islamic pilgrimage, the nPDP it is believed would take a crucial decision on its direction in the coming days. No one expects it to be salutary for the party that once prided itself as the largest political party in Africa.