The resignation of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is expected to be formally announced this afternoon by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC). The PDP NEC is scheduled to meet from around noon in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.

Though Tukur late last night claimed not to have resigned, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) told The PUNCH that the party had already accepted his resignation but that he was advised not to confirm the development yet so as not to have a vacuum in the party.

“Yes, it is true that he has resigned and the party has accepted his resignation,” the unnamed source was quoted as saying after the BoT’s meeting held last night at the Presidential Villa. “We couldn’t make it public now since we have not appointed his successor. We would announce his resignation after our NEC meeting tomorrow (today). But I can tell you authoritatively that he has resigned,” the source added.

Tukur was absent from both the PDP weekly Wednesday National Working Committee (NWC) meeting and the caucus meeting held late at the Presidential Villa. He, however, made a surprise appearance at the BoT meeting, walking into the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa at about 7:50 p.m.

Accosted by State House correspondents, he said: “I have not resigned. I am not somebody that would resign and you would not know. I have not resigned.”

•Photo shows Bamanga Tukur.