Nigeria’s business mogul and an aspirant to the chairmanship position of The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bamangar Tukur has reacted to criticisms that he is too old to contest for the chairmanship position.Alhaji Tukur who was in the Presidential villa with four governors of the PDP from the north east where the position has been zoned, says the position is rather meant for those he referred to as “daddies.”
The governors were those of Bauchi, Taraba, Gombe and Adamawa states. Their mission to the villa was not immediately disclosed to journalists but sources said the meeting was to discuss how to arrive at who will be the next chairman of the party among the candidates that are vying for the position.
Although Presidential aides have said that the President does not have a candidate among the aspirants for the position, a Nigerian Newspaper – PUNCH reported on Tuesday that President Goodluck Jonathan had “begged” the governors at the meeting to support the candidacy of Alhaji Tukur.
The governors had reported left the meeting assuring the President that they will support his preferred candidate saying that “whoever the President wants, we should support.”
Other senior members of the party that have reportedly endorsed Alhaji Tukur’s bid to be the new PDP Chairman includes Tony Anenih and Edwin Clark from the South-South; Senator Abdul Ningi and Prof Jerry Gana from the North- East and North-Central respectively and the deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekwerenmadu.
On his aspiration Alhaji Tukur said that he has been busy canvassing for the support of his party men at all levels and that the PDP will decide at the Eagle Square with their votes. He said that the position of chairman has been thrown open and that as far as he is concerned, he is more than qualified.
He has pledged to return the party to the people, saying internal democracy remains pivotal to him.
Alhaji Tukur stormed the Wadata Plaza National Secretariat of the PDP on 2nd March 2012 to submit his nomination form for the Chairmanship position and was escorted to the secretariat by some party chieftains in a long convoy.
Other contenders for the PDP’s top position includes: the present Acting National Secretary, Musa Babayo from Bauchi state; the present National Publicity Secretary, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali from Gombe state; former Minister of Interior, Shettima Mustapha from Borno state and former Minister of Agriculture, Adamu Bello from Adamawa State.
Others are former Minister of Commerce, Ambassador Idris Waziri from Taraba State; former Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Abba Aji; former Minister of the FCT, Architect Ibrahim Bunu from Borno state; Barrister Ibrahim Shehu Birma from Borno State and former National Chairman of Defunct Grassroots Democratic Movement, Alhaji Gambo Lawan from Borno State.
Meanwhile, the PDP has fixed 24 March for its national convention. It is at the convention that a new national working committee of the party will be elected.