PDP peace talks postponed …faction gives more conditions
Effort to settle the crisis in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) suffered a setback as the governors who staged a walkout with Fomer Vice-President Atiku Abubakar backed out in the last minute. The meeting which was to be chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan has been postponed
The Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Tony Anenih, told newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday that “The governors said they needed more time for wider consultations; the presidency and party leadership were not opposed to it. Part of the wider consultations is the meeting of selected party leaders with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday morning and thereafter, we will meet with the governors on Tuesday, next week.
Chief Anenih further said that “I believe some of them have genuine grievances; but I have hope that, once the grievances are addressed, they will come back. I am happy that the PDP has an internal mechanism for effective conflict resolution, and at the end of the day, the problems will be addressed and the PDP will come out of the crisis stronger.”
According to sources close the Governors, they are not in a hurry to meet the Tukur led PDP faction as they want Baraje led faction to open their National Secretariat and also gather more support from the state PDP chapters before holding any meeting with the Presidency. Another source opine that no meeting will be attended by the Governor without the factional Chairman and the leader former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar in attendance.
Despite the failure to hold the peace parley, the President, met with members of his inner caucus at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, over the fresh crisis rocking the party Tuesday night with his Adviser on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak; the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; Bamanga Tukur and Uche Secondus in attendance.
State governors that were present include; Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Idris Wada (Kogi); Isa Yuguda; (Bauchi), Muktar Yero (Kaduna); Gabriel Suswam (Benue); Theodore Orji (Abia); Liyel Imoke (Cross River); Seriake Dickson