As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues its search for a new chairman for the party, Rebuild Nigeria Initiative, one of the political pressure groups that worked for the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan at the last presidential elections, has thrown its weight behind the candidature of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

Tukur, a former governor of the old Gongola State and one of the founding fathers of the party, is currently the President of African Business Roundtable.

National Coordinator, Rebuild Nigeria Initiative, Prince Hope Rex-Lawson, said at a news conference yesterday that the move to draft Tukur into the race was based on his sterling leadership qualities.

Rex-Lawson said if the transformation agenda of the Jonathan administration was to be actualised, the ruling party would need to also transform its self by putting in place a good leadership to drive the vision.

He said there was need for the PDP to have a leadership that shares the vision of the transformation agenda to support the administration in carrying out its policies and programmes.

Rex-Lawson said with Tukur's track record in the African Business Roundtable and his global exposure in politics and economy, he would be able to sell the party and its programmes to the international community, thereby attracting foreign investment and creating employment opportunities in Nigeria.

According to him, Tukur would bring his wealth of experience to bear in the running of the party effectively and efficiently to provide the needed platform for good governance and national transformation. Rex-Lawson disagreed with the stance of some sections of the party that persons above 70 years should retire from active politics and allow younger and more energetic politicians to lead the party.