Obasanjo Should Tread With Caution, Tukur Warns

The embattled national chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Bamanga Tukur, has called on the former chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Olusegun Obasanjo, to tread with caution. Mr. Tukur’s censure was issued in a statement issued by his spokesman in reaction to a fiery public letter by Mr. Obasanjo in which President Goodluck Jonathan was accused of acting against the interests of the PDP as well as engaging in other undemocratic acts. Mr. Obasanjo, who was Nigeria’s president from 1999 to 2007, was instrumental in installing Mr. Jonathan in office.
Reacting to Mr. Obasanjo’s controversial letter, Mr. Tukur said it was wrong for the former president to insinuate in his letter that Mr. Jonathan was using Mr. Tukur to cause confusion in the increasingly fractious ruling party.
“For such a statement against the person of the national chairman of the PDP to come from Chief Obasanjo, a former head of state and president, is most unfortunate,” Mr. Tukur stated. He added: “Chief Obasanjo in his position as former president under the PDP platform should have known very well the constitution of the party, the party manifesto as it relates to the independence of the PDP National Working Committee.”
The PDP national chairman continued: “For [Mr. Obasanjo] to insinuate that the President is using the national chairman to cause multiple problems for the party doesn’t in any way portray him as a true democrat.
“Chief Obasanjo is very much aware of the fact that Dr. Bamanga Tukur is a man of honor and proven integrity who shouldn’t be portrayed as a stooge to anybody. It is well known to Chief Obasanjo that Dr. Bamanga Tukur is a man who acts according to the dictates of his conscience and conviction and in line with the party constitution and manifesto. Dr. Tukur as the national chairman and one of the founding fathers of the party can never allow his opinion or decisions to be teleguided by any external force as a principled administrator and seasoned politician.
“Chief Obasanjo’s statement is certainly an attack on the personal integrity and credibility of Dr. Tukur as an outstanding statesman of international repute.”
Mr. Tukur’s statement concluded: “Chief Obasanjo is however advised to tread with caution over his personal attacks or vituperations against his fellow elder statesmen or those in exalted political positions in the country.”

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