Former National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has vehemently denied suing the party or seeking the removal of his successor, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu. He, however, accepted the one-month suspension slammed on him by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, even as he indicated readiness to face the disciplinary Committee.

“I am a party person. Whatever party decides is what I will do. So there is no question about that. If they ask me, of course, I will tell‎ them because it is correct for people if they have reasons for doing that,” he said.

Tukur, who reiterated that he did not take the party to court, said his readiness to present himself before the committee was borne out of the fact that he remains a loyal party member, but was quick to add that he was not given fair hearing.

It would be recalled that the former PDP chairman was on Thursday suspended by the NWC for allegedly making moves to return to the office he left in January this year and attack on Mu’azu, the incumbent national chairman.

Addressing journalists yesterday, Tukur noted that as a foundation member of the party he knows the rule, adding: “I have never taken my party to court.

"I have been sued myself as a defendant. The court cases are very clear. When I was sued to make appearance, naturally my representative has to go to court and represent me. But I have never sued my party.

“I am a founding member of this great party. I am a member of the Board of Trustees of this party and I am past national chairman of this party. I know the constitution of this party. So, how is it possible that I will sue the party? It is just a misrepresentation of facts may be because I was sued as a co-defendant. Once you are sued you have to appear. That is all I can say.”

The Ambassador at Large, who maintained that he never swore an affidavit seeking to return to office as national chairman of the PDP, said: “I can’t tell a lie when they asked whether I resigned without giving the 30 days notice that is correct.”

Continuing, Tukur, who boasted that he saw no reason for him to brief the PDP national leadership before deposing the affidavit, said that nobody contacted him, adding: “In fact, I would expect that they ‎will call me and tell me what they are seeing. I have never been asked or contacted.

“I think they should do the needful because as a ‎foundation member and the status that I have in the party doing what they have done I would say I wish them well.

“I believe today if there is any Nigerian that wishes the party and President Goodluck Jonathan well, I think I am one of them. I am the one who presented our president right from the beginning; everybody knows that. So, anything to do with moving the nation forward under his leadership, I will do.”

On his next step and whether he would petition the party or not, he said: “I wish my party well. I don’t need to petition the party per se. I think they should do the needful because as a ‎foundation member and the status that I have in the party doing what they have done I would say I wish them well.”

•Adapted from Saturday Vanguard. Photo shows Bamanga Tukur.

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