PDP’s problems beyond Tukur’s resignation – Obasanjo

         Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Thursday said that the problems of the Peoples Democratic Party were beyond the resignation of Dr. Bamanga Tukur, as the party’s national chairman.

The media aide to the former President, Mr. Tunde Oladunjoye, in an interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja, said Obasanjo had nothing personal against Tukur.

But he said Obasanjo would not comment on Tukur’s resignation, arguing that the issues earlier raised by the former President had not been addressed with Tukur’s exit.

“Baba (Obasanjo) has no comment on the resignation of  Tukur. He has nothing personal against Tukur. His last letter to Tukur was very clear. The issues raised are beyond Tukur’s resignation and they are yet to be addressed,” Oladunjoye said.

Obasanjo had, in his letter to Tukur, a copy of which was sent to President Goodluck Jonathan as the national leader of the party, accused the PDP of negating the principles of morality, decency and discipline in its decisions, especially as they affected the South- West.

Jonathan formally announced Tukur’s resignation at the PDP National Executive Council meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

When contacted to comment on Obasanjo’s view that Tukur’s resignation had not resolved the issues raised in his letter, the  PDP National Publicity, Chief Olisa Metuh, said Obasanjo should have written directly to the party if he wanted the issues he raised to be addressed.

Metuh said, “The former President was a Chairman of the Board of Trustees of our party and he knows very well that we do not administer the party on the pages of newspapers. If he has written a letter to the party, it shall be addressed through the proper channel not on the pages of newspapers.”

Meanwhile, many have continued to react to Tukur’s resignation with many of them describing it as a welcome development.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Dr. Bukola Saraki, said in a statement on Thursday, that Tukur’s resignation had vindicated him and others who had opposed Tukur before defecting to the All Progressives Congress.

“I received the news that Alhaji Bamanga Tukur has officially resigned as chairman after damaging PDP beyond repair. This has vindicated me and other progressives that had to leave the party at a point when some of the issues we clamoured  for are now coming to light,” he said.

The Publicity Secretary of PDP in the Osun State, Mr. Bola Ajao, in a statement  that the sacrifice would help to sustain the transformation agenda.

“This is vintage democracy, “The PDP will continue to wax stronger and stronger in its transformation agenda for Nigeria and democratic prosperity of her people,” he said.

Governorship aspirant in Osun State, Senator  Iyiola Omisore,  told the News Agency of Nigeria that  Tukur’s exit was a  sacrifice to ensure the  transformation of the party.

“If Tukur’s resignation as National Chairman of the PDP would be a remedy to the crisis in the party, then we congratulate him for taking such a bold step,’’ he said.