We are still consulting on Tukur, says Ekweremadu

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu yesterday maintained that the final decision on the call for resignation of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bamanga Tukur, is yet to be taken.

He spoke with State House correspondents after the meeting of the National Assembly leadership with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to him, the leadership is still consulting and the final decision will be taken in the next few days.

He said: “It is a routine consultation between the President and the leadership of the National Assembly. But this one has to do with our party’s issues because we are of the same political party. It is essentially a party fair.”

On the media report that the chairman and some other national Exco should resign, he said: “We are still consulting. In the evening we are going to have a meeting of the national caucus of the party, look at all the options available to the party.

“This is part of consultation so that by tomorrow or later this evening, we have a position of the PDP on this issue.”

Responding to question on whether the National Assembly is concerned abut the crises in the PDP, he said: “Every family has their own issues, the PDP is not an exception. The most important thing is the ability to resolve those issues and this is why you can see consultations going on. So I am hopeful that we will come out of the crisis much more stronger.”

He said leaders of the National Assembly who ought to attend the PDP meetings, were on their way back to Abuja.

“You know we are on break and some have travelled. But because of the consultation going on, some are on their way back. The Speaker is on his way back to Abuja, the Senate President ought to have travelled to China, he is also on his way back. He has changed his plans to come back. The Senate leader is also on his way back from Calabar, the House leader is also on her way back.”

“I’m sure in the next one hour or two, they will all be back because we are on vacation and this meeting was quite impromptu. We have contacted all of them and they are all coming back.” He added

Ekweremadu was accompanied to the meeting with the President by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, Deputy Majority Senate Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi and Deputy Majority House Leader, Leo Ogor.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim also attended the meeting.