The group of seven governors and leaders of the new PDP yesterday met for several hours to deliberate on what would be their position on their anticipated meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan and other leaders of the PDP. A dependable source told Daily Trust that the meeting which took place at the Kano State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja last night also considered the the Appeal Court ruling which reinstated Ogunsoye Oyinlola as national secretary of the PDP. The source said the governors will use the opportunity offered by Oyinlola’s reinstatement as an additional bargaining chip during the meeting with the Presidency. The Bamanga Tukur-led PDP has said it will challenge the verdict of the Appeal Court reinstating the former Secretary. The meeting was still going on as at the time of filing this report. The G-7 governors had made certain demands on the president as precondition for reconciliation but the two sides were unable to meet to conclude on the issues raised as the new PDP asked for a shift in time to enable its members perform pilgrimage. Among other demands, the G-7 had asked for the removal of national chairman of the PDP Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and demanded that President Jonathan should not rush into declaring that he will run in 2015 but think deeply in view of the implications. There are indications that the much expected meeting with the president may be sooner than later and the leaders of the new PDP are weighing all the options, including the possibility of dumping the PDP for another party. Daily Trust source said the presidency is yet to invite them for the meeting, assuring however that the governors will turn up if invited. After their meeting last week which was briefly disrupted by the police, the leaders of the nPDP indicated that if their talks with Mr. President failed, they would have no option than to either join the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) or VOA, or form a new party altogether. Those at yesterday’s meeting included Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto and Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State. Others who attended include Abubakar Kawu Baraje, national chairman of the nPDP and Senator Danjuma Goje. ...6-man committee set up to receive 5 new govs The National Working Committee (NWC) of the new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) yesterday announced a sixman committee to organise reception in honour of five new governors of the PDP whom it said have decided to join the faction. The committee which has Dr Sam Jaja, the national vice chairman of the nPDP as chairman, was set up during the faction’s monthly meeting in Abuja on Saturday, presided over by the national chairman Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje. A press statement by National Publicity Secretary of the nPDP Chief Eze Chikwuemeka Eze gave other members of the committee as Nasir Isa Abubakar, Secretary of the Committee, while Engr. Abubakar G. Umar, Hon. Binta Masi Garba, Mr. Timi Frank and Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze will serve as members. The statement did not give the names of the governors to be received but Governor of Imo State Rochas Okorocha had earlier said that five PDP governors were being expected to join the APC in addition to the G-7 governors. “The Committee was directed to submit for immediate consideration by the G7 Governors the venue, logistics and modalities for receiving the five governors, ex-governors, nationalists and key members of the National Assembly who have indicated interest to join us,” the statement said. It also said the NWC was happy with the ruling of the Appeal Court reinstating Olagunsoye Oyinlola as National Secretary of PDP and pleaded with him to ensure that the impunity in PDP is ended. The committee then appointed Hon. Nasir Isa Abubakar to replace Oyinlola in acting capacity pending further directives from the G7 Governors and the nPDP Caucus. “As things stand, Oyinlola remains the National Secretary of PDP and only the Supreme Court can reverse that decision. The nPDP NWC is therefore of the view that Prince Oyinlola should resume office immediately without waiting for any directive from any quarters. Any other person who parades himself as the National Secretary of PDP should be committed to prison for contempt of court,” the statement said. It said the group is eagerly awaiting other court rulings that will restore the Baraje-led NWC as the authentic NWC of the PDP to “enable us join him in rebuilding the party”. The NWC congratulated the G7 Governors for their wise decision to embark on a nationwide tour to brief elders and former Heads of State on the state of the party and the efforts by some people to ensure that peace continues to elude PDP.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 18:10:20 +0000