Meet These Demands Or We'll Collapse PDP ––Atiku Faction; Obasanjo Reacts

There was serious horse-trading and political grandstanding on Friday in Abuja as the two factions of the PDP met with the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo's elders committee on her to resolve the crises that have engulfed the party since its last mini-convention.

First, Governors Rotimi Aaechi and Sule Lamido, told a lady who described Bamanga Tukur as chairman of the PDP to correct herself. They told her that Tukur is just a mere factional chairman of Goodluck Jonathan's group and that the faction is no longer recognized. Trouble!

And when Obasanjo and other elders of PDP met with the two factions at Hilton Hotel in Abuja to discuss how to settle the differences among the warring factions. But both parties insisted that their conditions for peace must be satisfied before the party could move forward.

Those on the elders table with Obasanjo were ex-head of state, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; former chairmen of PDP, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, Sen. Barnabas Gemade and Chairman PDP Board of Trustees, Tony Anenih.

The National Chairman of the Jonathan faction of PDP, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, also led some members of his own National Working Committee to the meeting.

Members of New PDP, who were at the meeting were its National Chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje; National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Jaja; former Governor of Gombe State, Sen. Danjuma Goje; and the former Governor of Kwara State, Sen. Bukola Saraki.

Others are the Governor of Jigawa State., Alhaji Sule Lamido; Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi and the Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko.

Governors on the side of the Tukur group included Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Idris Wada (Kogi), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Theordore Orji (Abia), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Ibrahim Shem (Katsina) and Isa Yuguda (Bauchi).

Here that the demands of the Atiku Faction:

*The sacking of Tukur as the chairman of the party 

*The recognition of Amaechi as the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum by Jonathan.

*The lifting of the suspension placed on Amaechi by the party.
*A new Convention be held in an atmosphere free of intimidation.
*President Jonathan should forget about 2015 after six years in office.

But the Tukur group was said to have insisted that most of the demands of the other group could not be met.

For example, it was gathered that the Tukur group claimed that the NWC was validly elected and that the decision to leave office would be determined by individuals.

On Amaechi's suspension, it was gathered that the group said the governor’s court case was an impediment to the lifting of the suspension.

They also said that only President Jonathan was capable of deciding whether to recognise Amaechi as the chairman of the NGF or not.

In a chat with Punch, a governor who was part of the meeting but who craved anonymity said, “My brother, we are still at the same point. We have not moved an inch away from the point”.

Another one said, "Well, with what has happened, it will be difficult to say we have achieved anything. But we wait to see. We are waiting to see the report of the Obasanjo’s committee."

Speaking with journalists at the end of the meeting, which ended at 2:58pm Obasanjo said he and members of his mediating team were trying to salvage the party.

“We have taken it upon ourselves to prevent the worst from happening to our dear party. Two of our members are abroad and could not join us. And I want to say that we have met with the two sides of the family, we have listened to them and of course we are going to put our heads together and go on from there.”