Nigeria's crises-ridden ruling party splits into factions

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan (C) looks as Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara (L) shakes hand with Benin's President Boni Yayi during the Ecowas Summit in Abuja on July 17, 2013. The crises rocking Nigeria's ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were deepened on Saturday when another faction emerged amid the messiest intra-party political saga in the history of the West African country. 

In Summary

The crises rocking Nigeria's ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were deepened on Saturday when another faction emerged amid the messiest intra-party political saga in the history of the West African country.

A new faction, in which Nigeria's former vice president Abubakar Atiku and seven out of the 23 ruling governors of the party have signified their interest, announced at a press conference in the capital city of Abuja, that it has taken over the party.

The faction announced Abubakar Kawu Baraje, a former acting chairman of the PDP, as its new chairman, while Sam Jaja, a party stalwart from the southern state of Rivers emerged as deputy national chairman.

Also, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a former governor of the southwestern state of Osun, who also served as former national secretary of the party, emerged as new national secretary of the splinter group.

The faction said its goal was to salvage the ruling party from those who have hijacked it, adding its other national officers would be announced on Monday.

Governors of the northwestern states of Kano, Sokoto and Jigawa as well as their counterparts from Rivers, Kwara, Adamawa and Niger states have also identified with the new faction.

There was mild drama on Saturday at the Eagle's Square of the capital city Abuja when the strong members of the party stormed out of the Special National Convention to form the newly announced parallel body.

No national officers from the other faction of the ruling party was available for comments on the latest development as at the time of filing this report.  But it is obvious a clash of interests among strong members had deepened the crises of the PDP ahead of the 2015 generation elections in Nigeria. (Xinhua)