Tukur to Atiku, senators, Reps: I’ll deal with you

The National Chairman of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has threatened to deal with anyone found to be parading himself as a member of the National Executive Committee of the party without recognizing him as the leader.
Tukur, who addressed a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, while taking on the faction of the PDP under the leadership of Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje as National Chairman, said anyone elected on the platform of the party who recognizes any other leadership apart from his would also be removed from his seat.
The Baraje faction also has as member former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who is also the National Secretary of the faction.
Only on Monday and Tuesday, 22 senators and 57 members of the House of Representatives declared support for the Baraje-led PDP faction.
But in a veiled reference to the development, Tukur told the news conference on Wednesday that security agencies would be mobilized against anyone who claims to be a member of the party’s NEC but without recourse to his own leadership.
Below is the full text of the press conference:
“Gentlemen of the press, you are aware of the current developments in our great party. Our reason for being here is to inform you without any iota of doubt that the Peoples Democratic Party has no faction and there is neither room nor reason whatsoever for such a claim under any guise.
“The PDP has only one duly elected National Executive Committee (NEC) under my Chairmanship. I wish therefore to state with all emphasis that any group of persons parading themselves as leaders of NEC or any other organ of our party are impostors and I urge all Nigerians, especially the security agencies and other institutions of democracy to regard them as such.
“Let me state categorically that the PDP as the sole custodian of the sacred mandate of over 160 million Nigerians and who in the last fourteen years has lifted high the banner of democracy will not fold its arms while some undemocratic and unpatriotic elements destroy our common destiny by causing divisions and confusion among the people.
“Consequently, we shall ensure that any person who is not duly elected into any leadership position in our great party and has not been duly assigned any role but goes ahead to arrogate such to himself will be made to face the full wrath of the law.
“Similarly, all persons elected on the platform of our great party at all levels who identify with these enemies of the oneness and greatness of our party shall have their seats declared vacant as required by law.
“We shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that such persons and indeed any other individual who attempts to subvert the leadership of the PDP shall reap in full, the consequences of such actions.
“I wish to emphasize that the PDP has adequate mechanism for internal  conflict resolution. All party members are therefore advised to ventilate their grievances through this medium.
“There is only one lawfully recognized PDP and I am firmly in charge.
“Thank you and may God bless you.”