Bashir-Haske was encouraged by northern moguls like his mentor and influential politician  Bamanga Tukur; and Aminu Dantata who died in Abu Dhabi in June...
	 
    
    
    
    
        
	
	     Without some initiative to bring together the southern and northern wings of the party – such as the sacking of Bamanga Tukur  the unpopular National Chairman – Jonathan may struggle to win the nomination...
	 
    
    
    
    
        
	
	     The most generous interpretation is that he was torn between the vengeful faction of the governing People's Democratic Party (PDP) under National Chairman Bamanga Tukur  who wanted the toughest sanctions against party dissidents  and more tactical operators such as former President Olusegun Obasanjo  who wanted to tie the rebels up in tortuous negotiations about reconciliation...
	 
    READ FOR FREE
    
    
    
        
	
	     The Chairman of the PDP Trustees  Tony Anenih  encouraged those talks but National Chairman Bamanga Tukur absolutely opposed it and wants the rebels to be punished...
	 
    READ FOR FREE
    
    
    
        
	
	     Jonathan's greatest supporter is the embattled PDP National Chairman Bamanga Tukur from the northern state of Adamawa...
	 
    
    
    
    
        
	
	     The latest episode started when five PDP governors – Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara State)  Mu'azu Aliyu (Niger)  Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano)  Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) – walked out of the PDP national conference in protest at what they called a deliberate flouting of party rules by Bamanga Tukur  the PDP National Chairman and key ally of Jonathan's...
	 
    
    
    
    
        
	
	     Well-connected oil traders facing investigation by the National Assembly include the son of Bamanga Tukur  the embattled Chairman of the governing People’s Democratic Party (AC Vol 53 No 7  The President tightens up & The people who run the PDP show)...
	 
    
    
    
    
        
	
	      On 24 March  the President pulled off the same trick and Alhaji Bamangar Tukur emerged as the PDP’s National Chairman...
 Rival candidates stepped down in favour of Bamangar Tukur...
 On his Facebook page  a British-Nigerian historian  Ayo Akinfe  wrote that  at 77  Tukur should be taking a back seat  not the job of party Chairman: ‘Bamangar Tukur  your “appointment” as party chairman just reflects everything wrong with Nigerian politics at the moment...
	 
    
    
    
    
        
	
	     • Alhaji Bamangar Tukur: elected PDP Chairman after an initial setback in the north-east zone primaries (see Feature  The President tightens up)...
	 
    
    
    
    
        
	
	     So far he has managed to rely on a diverse team of advisors - former Inspector General of Police Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu and businessman Bamanga Tukur from the north  General Theophilus Danjuma from the Middle Belt and former Commonwealth Secretary General Emeka Anyaoku - without alienating important constituencies...