SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Abubakar Baraje
The aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party, led by Mr. Kawu Baraje, have said they will still attend the scheduled October 7 meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan .
They said the ongoing exchange of words between them and the other PDP faction, led by Dr. Bamanga Tukur, would not deter them from attending the meeting.
Speaking in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Friday, the National Publicity Secretary of the faction, Mr. Chukwuemeka Eze, said all the seven aggrieved governors The seven aggrieved governors of the PDP had, after a meeting in Abuja with Jonathan on September 15, agreed to a cease fire.
The governors are Muritala Nyako (Adamawa); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara) and Rabiu Kwankanso (Kano).
In a communiqué read by Aliyu after the meeting, both parties said, “With a view to resolving the recent crisis in our party and sequel to the number of meetings convened by leaders and stakeholders, the governors of Adamawa, Niger, Rivers, Kwara, Sokoto, Jigawa, Akwa Ibom, Kogi, Kano and Cross Rivers states met with the President, the Vice -President and the chairman of the BOT and extensively deliberated on various issues over a three-day period.
“The meetings were cordial and deliberations fruitful with a clear commitment on all sides to resolving all issues raised at the meetings.
“The meeting also called on all parties to sheathe their swords and avoid further inflammatory comments on issues, particularly during the course of our deliberations as we have all agreed to resolve all the differences.
“In the interim, all parties have accepted to commence immediate action and agreed towards complete resolution of all matters and continue to meet until all processes toward reconciliation are concluded amicably.”
But a few days after the meeting, the cease fire broke down as both parties engaged each other in a war of words.
Lawmakers loyal to the factions clashed at the House of Representatives on Tuesday because of the visit of the Baraje faction to the House.
But on Friday, Eze said, “We would be at the meeting. We are men and women of honour. We won’t abandon the meeting unless it is called off.
“It is those in the other camp who are not very sincere and do not know what they are doing. It is that group that is bent on destroying our party and I am telling you that they won’t succeed.”
On the comment by the Tukur-led PDP that the demands of the group were not reasonable, Eze said the comment was an indication that the Tukur group was not ready for peace.
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