The crisis in the ruling Peoples Party deepend on Wednesday as state chapters of the party continued to declare loyalty to different factions.
While a faction in the Taraba chapter of the PDP on Wednesday declared support for the Kawu Baraje-led faction, the Ekiti State chapter said it is on the side of the National Chairman of the party, Bamangar Tukur.
The Taraba faction, led by a former chairman of the party in the state, Dr. Abdulmumuni Vaki, also called for the resignation of Tukur.
Vaki told journalists in Jalingo, the state capital, that his faction was protesting its exclusion from the recently-concluded national convention of the party in Abuja.
He said that his faction was disenfranchised even when the Independent National Electoral Commission had declared null and void the congress that brought the rival executive into power.
Vaki said that in the conduct of the last congress, majority of the members of PDP were disenfranchised and described those parading themselves as PDP members as outsiders who joined PDP when they lost elections in their various parties.
The Ekiti State chapter of the party in a statement made available to journalists by its Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, said the PDP in the state had confidence in the Tukur-led executive.
The statement read, “The Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party declares total support and loyalty to the national leadership of the party under the leadership of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and President Goodluck Jonathan.
“The state PDP wishes to commend the leadership of the party for a successful and transparent Special National Convention at the Eagles Square on Saturday 31st August, 2013.
“Ekiti State PDP hereby declares its total support and loyalty to the national leadership of the party under the leadership of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and President Goodluck Jonathan.
“The Ekiti PDP chapter earnestly implores all aggrieved (former) PDP governors, leaders and all elected governors to embrace peace and dialogue in resolving the present family impasse”.