By Charles Kumolu
THE unexpected loss of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur at the North-East Zonal Congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which took place in Bauchi,  meant different things to different people.

While some have described it as an outcome of a democratic exercise, others were of the opinion that it was connected to the need to protect the interest of the North ahead of the 2015 presidential elections.

Sambo, Tukur and ATIKU

Before the congress, most northern politicians were believed to have worked for their individual interests at the expense of the common aspiration of the  North, which is to present a candidate, who will be an asset to northern presidency in 2015.

The huge followership that Tukur’s candidacy commanded before now, spoke volumes about how party chieftains from the North allegedly worked at cross-purposes.

It was gathered that after months of working for their personal interests, the duo of Vice President Namadi Sambo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar were said to have on Monday through  Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, agreed to team up with North-East Governors to ensure that Tukur, who is believed to be President Goodluck Jonathan’s candidate, was defeated at the zonal congress, to whittle down his chances of winning at the national level

According to a reliable source, who is a  top member of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, there was an urgent need to ensure that Jonathan’s candidate for the position of National Chairman of the PDP was defeated at the congress as well as today’s convention.

To that extent, the source said it was agreed that powerful PDP members from the region should shelve their personal interests at this level and work together to see that a reliable hand was installed as National Chairman.

North angry with Jonathan

To buttress their points, the source said the anger of the North against Jonathan was heightened  following recent public declaration of the leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force Asari Dokubo that Jonathan would serve for eight years.

In addition, it was gathered that the region is angry that the Presidency had allegedly failed to call Asari to order, to reassure the North that he had no such agenda.

It therefore became pertinent that the North must first of all ensure that the PDP machinery was secured at the National Convention as the first stage to the eventual emergence of a President of Northern extraction in 2015.

Consequently, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was reported to have bankrolled the campaign expenses of Senator Abba Aji was allegedly prevailed upon to shift ground and join forces to make Dr. Musa Babayo the chairman.

Babayo was, until last weekend,the acting national secretary of the PDP and was said to have been enjoying the support of the Vice President and huge funding from his State Governor, Isa Yuguda.

Nonetheless, another source told Saturday Vanguard that the grouse against Tukur in his home state was not unconnected to allegations that the business mogul and President of African Business Roundtable has interest in using his position as National Chairman of PDP, if elected, to install his son as the next governor of Adamawa State.

Although Atiku was said to have stayed away from a last- minute meeting of the anti- Bamanga Tukur gladiators, which took place at the wee hours of Tuesday night at the Bauchi State Government House, Governor Murtala Nyako was said to have briefed those who attended of the position of the former Vice President, whom he told them had agreed with the arrangement as long as it would ensure that Jonathan would be checkmated from putting the Next National Working   Committee (NWC) into his pocket.