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PDP prepares to receive Turaki, Obanikoro
By
Paul Mumeh,
Senior Correspondent, Abuja
The
national headquarters of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has raised a
10-man committee to facilitate and smoothen the process for the defection of
Governor Saminu Turaki from the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) to PDP.
There are also indications to the effect Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (AD, Lagos
Central), has concluded plans to defect to the ruling party along with his
coterie of supporters this week.
A statement jointly signed by the Minister of State for Works, Alhaji Sale
Shehu and Jigawa
PDP
chairman, Alhaji Usman Alto Roni, said the committee was set up to gear up
arrangements for the merger of the ANPP and PDP.
It
explained that the committee was mandated to deliberate and formulate a new
structure for the Jigawa PDP and fix a date for a grand reception of the
governor and form a formidable party structure in the state.
The
development followed series of meetings held between the governor and PDP
officials at Yola, Abuja and Kaduna, in which the parties agreed to form a
committee to work out modalities to fuse the PDP together as strong political
team.
The
committee has Alhaji Ahmed Hassan as chairman, while Yakubu Ruba is to serve as
secretary. The Jigawa State ANPP has recently been polarised over Turaki's
decision to defect to the PDP.
From
the troubled AD, Obanikoro is said to be leading some legislators and thousand
of members of his constituency out of the party in protest against what he
described as governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos State’s favouritism towards
his rival Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi (AD Lagos West) for 2007. According to
reports, Obanikoro had tried in vain to make in-road into Tinubu’s heart
to endorse him for 2007 governorship race but the latter was believed to be
more disposed to Afikuyomi.
Besides,
Obanikoro’s problem in the Tinubu’s camp was traced to his abstention
from voting against a state emergency rule on the floor of the senate in May
2004 ostensibly to save embattled Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau state, a
position canvassed by Tinubu’s AD.
The
essence of Tinubu’s support for Dariye then was aimed at warding off any
such plot against his state by the federal government. Obanikoro’s
problem who had earlier been accused of hobnobbing with Works Minister, Adeseye
Ogunlewe was compounded by his decision to abstain. Tinubu’s group
allegedly labelled him as a black leg.
Unsure
of AD governorship ticket for 2007 Obanikoro, rallied his handful of loyalists
and his planning to defect to PDP.
Already, Obanikoro has held series of meetings with the PDP
leadership in Abuja, Lagos and Principal officers of the Senate of his move.
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