The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of Tanimu Turaki has declared that endorsing President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 general election would be 'immoral and unjust'.
Ini Ememobong, the National Publicity Secretary for this faction, made these comments during a recent appearance on The Morning Show aired on Arise Television.
The Turaki faction has called for a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) set for Friday to discuss reconciliation efforts with the faction led by Nyesom Wike, who serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
At the same time, Turaki is contesting a bench warrant issued against him by a federal high court in Abuja.
On the subject of endorsing Tinubu, the faction asserted, "It is improper, it is immoral, it is unjust, and it is unfair for a prominent opposition party like the PDP to throw its support behind the presidential candidacy of Bola Tinubu, the candidate from the All Progressives Congress (APC)."
Ememobong is hopeful that the reconciliation efforts will be guided by logic over sentiment.
Relatedly, the Turaki faction has highlighted that any reconciliation must reinforce the party's position as a strong opposition force, rather than diminishing its role.
Turaki Group Calls NEC Meeting for Reconciliation
The Turaki faction has initiated an NEC meeting for Friday aimed at discussing terms of reconciliation with Wike's faction.
Turaki previously indicated an upcoming meeting, which was influenced by advice from the Court of Appeal located in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The notice for the NEC meeting states that this body, being the second highest authority after the national convention, will examine the reconciliation terms agreed upon between both factions.
One key point anticipated for discussion is whether the PDP will have candidates across various elections, including gubernatorial, senatorial, and legislative elections at the state level.
The NEC is expected to decide on the party's participation in the presidential election and whether specific figures from the two factions will step down to facilitate office harmonization.
Turaki Challenges Bench Warrant
Tanimu Turaki is currently contesting a bench warrant issued against him by a federal high court in Abuja.
His spokesperson, Ibrahim Abdulahi, revealed that a bench warrant was granted due to his absence in court regarding a case related to allegations of giving false information to the police in a petition he made as a private individual in 2022.
The warrant was issued following his failure to appear in court, which had been subpoenaed on that day. Abdulahi further noted that Turaki’s lawyers had filed a motion to dismiss the charge, which did not necessitate his appearance.
"With the issuance of the bench warrant, Turaki's lawyers promptly filed an appeal along with a request for a stay of execution of the order," Abdulahi stated, emphasizing that this matter is unrelated to current PDP issues, though external political influences might play a role.
The case was presided over by Justice Peter Kekemeke, who had mandated Turaki's arrest due to his non-appearance to answer a charge of providing false information to the police.
During court proceedings, the prosecution asserted that Turaki was duly informed about the hearing and had failed to attend without a valid excuse. The judge concluded that a bench warrant was appropriate given the circumstances, and the case has been adjourned until April 22 for his arraignment.
Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah
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