President Goodluck Jonathan .Presidency, PDP: It’s good riddance .Lamido, Aliyu stick with Jonathan .Ruling party threatened in N/Assembly Five state governors left the People’s Democratic Party yesterday following a merger of their faction with the opposition All Progressives Congress, posing the biggest threat yet to the ruling party. With the defection by Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), the number of PDP’s governors has gone down to 18. But two governors—Jigawa’s Sule Lamido and his Niger counterpart Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu —broke ranks with the G-7 group and chose to remain with the mainstream PDP which is backed by President Goodluck Jonathan. The merger with APC was announced in a communique read by national chairman of the New PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, following a four-hour long meeting at the Kano Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. “A meeting of the leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC, and the new PDP met this morning at the residence of the Kano State Governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in Abuja. After exhaustive deliberations the two parties agreed to merge in order to rescue our fledgling democracy and the nation,” the communique said. It was signed by Baraje and APC interim national chairman Bisi Akande. Among those at the meeting were the governors of Rivers, Kano, Kwara, Adamawa and Niger. But the Niger governor left midway, apparently having rejected the idea of merger with APC. The Jigawa governor did not attend, while his Sokoto counterpart Wamakko was said to be represented at the meeting because he has travelled abroad. But later yesterday, the picture began to become blurry as Kwankwaso spoke on BBC Hausa radio, where he prevaricated on whether he is now in the APC. He said following the merger, those of them from the New PDP would hold consultations with their supporters to decide where they belong. Also when contacted, Wamakko’s spokesman Sani Umar said the Sokoto governor was abroad and could not be reached to clarify if he has moved to APC. But spokesman for the Kwara State governor, Mr. Muideen Akorede, said Governor Ahmed has defected to the APC. “I thought it was obvious that he (Ahmed) has joined the APC…. And Alhaji Baraje made that obvious when he addressed the press,” Akorode said. Other leaders at the merger meeting include factional secretary Olagunsoye Oyinlola, deputy national chairman Sam Jaja, former Bayelsa governor Timipre Sylva, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Bukola Saraki. Daily Trust learnt that the decision to join APC was intended to take the thunder out of the planned expulsion of the rebel PDP leaders by the mainstream PDP. The Bamanga Tukur-led PDP had suspended four factional leaders—Baraje, Oyinlola, Jaja and northwest zonal chairman Ibrahim Kazaure. They were asked to appear before a disciplinary committee today, but they said they would not honour the invitation. Daily Trust learnt that the leaders of the New PDP and their G-7 governors agreed that they would have to take a decisive action before their faction’s leaders were disgraced by the mainstream PDP. Because of this, yesterday’s meeting was convened where majority of the governors present agreed to show solidarity with the embattled factional leaders. They argued that the planned expulsion by the PDP was intended to weaken the faction. At the meeting, the factional leaders weighed their options—to join APC, move into the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) or register a new party. APC leaders, including Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ogbonnaya Onu and Bisi Akande, later joined the meeting where they fine-tuned a deal for merger. Sources at the meeting said initially an alliance was considered when some of the G-7 governors insisted that talks were going on with President Jonathan, but the majority insisted that further delay would mean their losing on both fronts. Speaking at the venue of the merger announcement, Tinubu said they were taking a step at a time to ensure the success of the merger. “We cannot divulge all our strategies to the media at once; it is better to give it to you in piece meal in order not to even create confusion anywhere. We are happy with the development, we have commitment to rescue our country from drifting and we act as a group to promote the interest of this country,” he said. Later yesterday, Lamido said he would stay put in the PDP. In a statement by his spokesman Umar Kyari Jittau, the Jigawa governor said: “While I accept that my party the PDP is currently embroiled in serious crisis especially the Bamanga Tukur style of leadership with impunity, that does not necessitate me renouncing myself and relinquishing my historical authority to anybody.” Lamido made reference to the money laundering accusations against his two sons, saying this would not harass him out of the PDP. “It is true that myself and family are currently under a huge political heat wave and campaign of misinformation and smear to the effect that my family and I are adjudged guilty in the public court by the gullible and the ill- informed. “This will not intimidate nor harass me out of the party and I will not give anybody the pleasure of engaging me by his terms. For now I wish to state that I remain the living father of the PDP. As for my political persecutors, I will engage them by my terms at the appropriate time. Nobody speaks for me but myself.” For his part, the Niger State governor, through his spokesman Danladi Ndayebo, said he was shocked at the announcement of the merger of New PDP and APC even before a final decision was taken on the matter. He said talks were still ongoing with President Jonathan and Aliyu would await the outcome of the negotiation before taking a final decision. The PDP also reacted to the defection, saying it was not disturbed. “We wish to state categorically that the PDP remains unperturbed as we are now rid of detractors and distractions. We urge all our members nationwide to remain focused and close ranks, now that agents of distraction have finally left our ranks,” PDP spokesman Olisa Metuh said. “We wish to remind our members that from the rulings of the court there are no factions whatsoever in the PDP. In the eyes of the law, the PDP remains one and an indivisible entity under the leadership
Posted on: Wed, 27 Nov 2013 14:25:04 +0000
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