Nigeria’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, split into two factions on Saturday (the 15th anniversary of its creation) after seven governors and former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, walked out of the party’s convention ground in Abuja.

Hours later, the splinter-group held a mini convention at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre and announced officers for its version of PDP, with a former chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, from Kwara state emerging the new chairman.

The governors who abandoned the PDP umbrella on Saturday are, Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa state, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa state, Rabiu Kwankwaso of kano state and Ahmed of Kwara State.

Former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, emerged as the new faction’s national secretary.

The national chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and other top leaders of the party had addressed the gathering at the Eagle Square venue of the special convention, promising the party’s readiness to allow internal democracy.

The reason for the split - Baraje

The factional national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Baraje, who addressed the press conference, said: “New PDP” members were “worried by the increasing repression, restriction of freedom of association, arbitrary suspension of members and other such violations of democratic principles by a faction of our party led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

“While we have done everything humanly possible to bring to the attention of critical stakeholders within the party the dangers inherent in the course being charted by that leadership, it has become very clear that the desperate permutations towards 2015 general elections have blinded certain people from the consequences of their actions.”

He added that the party’s constitution provided that refusal of leadership to attend to grievances allowed for members to react.

Baraje said the new leaders of the party were shocked that permutations for 2015 has led to open violation of the party’s constitution, adding that the cold calculation of the president had led to shutting down of all dissenting voices within the party.

The factional chairman said Tukur should know that the PDP was not a one-man party, “where if you dissent, you are dealt with,” adding that his group was committed to changing all misnomers ongoing within the party.

He listed the grievances of the aggrieved members as refusal to hold executive council meeting of the party as and when due, illegal tampering with delegates’ lists from nine states of the federation, running the party like a personal fiefdom and refusal to allow the return of old working committee members, in line with earlier agreement, rejection of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ruling that Andy Uba’s election was legal and illegal dismissal of Dr Sam Jaja.

Asked what would happen if their grievances were not attended to, Baraje explained that the prayer was that good sense prevailed, adding that if not, his faction would continue to push for reforms within the party.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, in his brief remarks, described the day as a day of sadness and joy for the PDP, lamenting that a party formed to plan democracy had been gradually destroyed by those clinching to it illegally.

According to him, he had done a lot to call attention to the failings of the party and its government, while also alerting those in government that the situation was not the dream the party had for the country.

“The nation is full of frustration,” he said, adding that “we cannot achieve anything under the present circumstance, both in government and within the party.

“This move is a bold step and I call on those members still sitting on the fence to come out and join hands to safe the party. Some are afraid of the government and I ask; who is government? We, the people, are the government.”