Why PDP Chairman, Tukur, Sacked All His Aides

The PDP national chairman was reportedly embarrassed by the action of his aides who is becoming uncontrollable.

The recent sack by the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Bamanga Tukur, of all his aides is linked to the involvement of one of the senior ones in the crisis in the Adamawa State chapter of the party.

The aide is alleged to have been lobbied by a faction of the party in Adamawa to influence the direction of the National Working Committee, NWC, on the crisis in the state.

Mr. Tukur sacked all his aides, one of who was his eldest son, Awal, on April 26, in a move that shocked many, including the staff of the ruling party.

Those sacked are the Principal Secretary, Ibrahim Ida, a former senator; Political Adviser, Ahmed Gusau; Special Adviser on Electoral Matters, Saidu Kumo, a former senator; Special Adviser on Media, Ujudud Sheriff; and Special Adviser, Economic Matters, O. Akindele.

Others are Special Adviser Inter Party Affairs, Shittu Mohammed; Special Adviser Security Matters and former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro; Special Adviser, Mobilisation, Ishola Filani; Special Adviser, Monitoring, Bennard Miko; Special Adviser Governance Osaro Onaiwo; Special Adviser, General Duties, Prince Igwe Uche; Special Adviser, National Assembly, Abdullahi Gumel; and Special Adviser on Special Duties, and Protocol Officer, Saidu Sulaiman.

It was the second time the PDP boss would sack his aides in the last one year.

His first Principal Secretary, Habu Fari, a former National Chairman of National Democratic Party, NDP, was relieved of his post in June last year for allegedly usurping the function of the then National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

Although Mr. Tukur attributed the reason for the recent sack to the “necessity to reorganise my office for service delivery,” the national chairman reportedly took the action when he uncovered the deal between his aide(s) and the faction of the party in Adamawa State.

Mr. Tukur had been engaged in a running battle with a faction of the party supported by the state governor, Murtala Nyako. This culminated in the conduct of a fresh congress which threw up a group of state party officials loyal to the PDP national chairman.

President Goodluck Jonathan subsequently set up a committee headed by the Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, to resolve the crisis. The committee has since submitted its report.

The PDP boss was said to have been embarrassed that the aide went behind him to engage in a deal, with some financial implications, though the finances could not be immediately confirmed.

According to a source, the aide, who was reportedly becoming too powerful, was recruited to influence the members of the National Working Committee, NWC, to support the Adamawa faction loyal to the state governor.

According to the sources, the action of the aide created doubt about the character of some of the Mr. Tukur’s aide; causing him to in one fell swoop dismiss all of them.

Although, no link was established between the alleged deal and the press conference addressed by the NWC members over the matter last December, Mr. Tukur was said to have felt betrayed.

When contacted, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, denied the allegation that any of the staff was involved in the Adamawa crisis; just as he noted that the aides were personal staff of national chairman, who had the right to hire and fire them.

“They are his (chairman) personal staff and so he has the right to hire and fire them. None of them was involved in the Adamawa crisis as being alleged. They all worked tirelessly for the party,” Mr. Metuh told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview.

It was, however, gathered that many of the aides will be re-appointed.