Two of the ‘rebel’ governors in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano and Babangida Aliyu, yesterday, opened up on the crisis in the party, saying their agitation is ultimately aimed at purifying the party and saving it from self-destruction.

Speaking to stakeholders in Kano,  Kwankwaso accused the Bamanga Tukur-led leadership of the party of insensitivity to complaints of party members even as he disclosed that the G-7 had concluded plans to reform the party.

Governor Aliyu, who spoke in the same vein in a lecture he delivered at the Lagos Country Club, yesterday, described the internal crisis in the party as a discussion that will ultimately lead to purification of the party.

Kwankwaso disclosed that party members had, under the Tukur leadership, been subjected to various forms of intimidation in a bid to satisfy the wishes of “microscopic individuals” at the expense of the interest of the overall majority.

He said: “Going by the antecedents of the Bamanga-led group, we consider it appropriate to move against him and you would agree with me this is the right time to bring changes and reform the party so that it can serve the interest of the masses.”

The Kano State governor argued that the nPDP governors had concluded plans to make PDP a better party, pointing out that the birth of the new PDP is a good omen to millions of party members, particularly, those at the grassroots.

He accused the Tukur-led PDP of disregarding the constitution and manifesto of the PDP and, according to him, “having realised the weaknesses of the party, we decided to rescue it and make it a better party.”

Kwankwaso listed the grievances of the nPDP to include crises in Rivers and Adamawa chapters of the party, the stalemate in the election of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, among others.

He said: “We did all we could to make them know the truth, but it didn’t work. We have been drawing the attention of PDP national headquarters to Kano, especially, in the area of appointments, but to no avail. Party politics is about interest and upholding the virtues of internal democracy.

Speaking further on the crisis, Kwankwaso said:  “We are calling on our party at the national headquarters to do the right thing, we cannot fold our arms to witness the drifting of leadership in our great party.”

He said it was because of the undemocratic antics of the Tukur-led PDP that made the seven governors to converge on the Musa Yar’Adua Centre and elect “the authentic party executives led by Kawu Baraje.

“We want to ensure that there is justice and equity in the party. This is the right time to bring necessary changes and reforms to ensure the success of the party. You have to come out and defend justice and fair-play. Kano has been in the fore-front of political revolution in the country. Go back to your constituencies and sensitize the people on what is happening.”

Also speaking at the event, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Gambo Sallau, commended Kwankwaso for carrying stakeholders and party elders along in all that has been happening in PDP at the national level and promised that the PDP caucus in Kano State House of Assembly will remain loyal to the cause of the new PDP.

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