Leaders of the factional group in the troubled ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seem to be consolidating their hold on the party with moves for possible impeachment of President Goodluck Jonathan if he refuses to jettison his yet to be declared aspiration to contest the 2015 Presidential poll.

The ‘New PDP,’ as the splinter group is known, has started to compile signatures in both chambers of the National Assembly to move against the President if their conditions for resolution of the crisis currently rocking the party were not met, says a report in Daily Independent.

The paper says it “reliably gathered that Jonathan had been told by promoters of the splinter group that not only should the National Chairman of the party, Bamanga Tukur, be sacked, the President must honour the alleged agreement with some party chieftains in 2011 to serve only one term or face impeachment.”

It quotes a source in the ‘New PDP as saying: “You can call it a bargaining chip in the hands of his opponents. But if he is pragmatic enough he would think twice before jumping into the fray. So, the factionalisation of the party was a signal to Jonathan to halt his ambition to run for a second term.

“We are demanding that he publicly renounces any ambition to run a second term or face impeachment in the National Assembly. The choice is his.”

No fewer than seven PDP state governors, 22 Senators and 57 PDP members in the House of Representatives declared their support for the splinter group which was born last Saturday, August 31, and is led by former Vice president Atiku Abubakar.

At the moment, PDP has 204 members in the House of Representatives, All Progressives Congress (APC) has 137, while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Accord Party have five members each.

The Labour Party has eight, while the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) also has five members.

“But with the defection of 57 PDP members to the ‘New PDP’ and more expected to join their ranks, they could combine with the 137 members of the APC to effect a change of leadership in the lower chamber of the National Assembly,” says Daily Independent.

In the Senate, the PDP, before the new faction, had 74 members, APC 33 members and Labour Party, two members.

•Photo shows ‘New PDP’ Chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje.

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