President Goodluck Jonathan
The peace talks between President Goodluck Jonathan and the seven Peoples Democratic Party governors appear to have collapsed, investigation by The PUNCH on Thursday, has revealed.
The PUNCH learnt of this just as one of the rebel governors, Dr. Rabiu Kwakwanso of Kano State, said their romance with the All Progressives Congress, was an indication that they were on their way to the APC.
At the last peace meeting between Jonathan, the aggrieved governors and the leadership of the New Peoples Democratic Party on October 7, further deliberations were adjourned with an understanding that they would resume after the Muslim and Christian pilgrimages.
Jonathan returned from Israel nine days ago and since then there has been no indication that the talks between him and the aggrieved governors would continue.
A reliable Presidency source said in Abuja on Thursday that the President might no longer be favourably disposed to further discussions with the G-7 governors and other members of the New PDP.
The source said the best the President could do was to ask Vice-President Namadi Sambo to continue with the discussions on his behalf.
He said the way the governors had been openly romancing with the APC had convinced the President that their hearts were no longer in the PDP.
The source added that rather than wasting his time on those who had made up their minds to weaken the PDP before leaving it, the President and his team would henceforth concentrate on mobilising members whose hearts and souls remained in the party.
He said, “I can tell you authoritatively that the battle line has been drawn with them (the aggrieved governors).
“They (the governors) have crossed the line. President Jonathan will no longer meet with them.
“To give a semblance of listening to them, the President will ask the Vice-President to meet with them(rebel governors). But the President will not do that again.
“There is nothing new that they can bring again. It is clear with their romance with the leaders of the APC that their hearts are no longer in the PDP.
“It is also clear that what they want to do is to weaken the party before they will finally leave.
“Rather than wasting time on them, we will now concentrate on mobilising members whose hearts are still in the party. The truth is that we can no longer trust them.”
Kwakwanso had at a dinner organised by the Progressive Governors’ Forum in Abuja on Wednesday, said the rebel governors’ romance with APC was an indication that they were no longer interested in remaining in the PDP.
Kwakwanso, represented by his Special Adviser on Sports, Mr. Ahmed Gara, noted that the rebel governors, who are the linchpin of the New PDP, were happy to be associated with the APC.
He said, “We are happy to be associated with the APC. We are still consulting concerning the invitation sent to us by the party to defect.
“In fact, our coming here shows that we are on our way to the APC. But as soon as we are done with the consultations, we would let the world know.”
Apart from the Kano State governor, others in the G-7 are Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara); and Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto).
At the event, one of the APC leaders and a former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, described the seven aggrieved PDP governors as “beautiful brides.”
He asked them and others he referred to as progressives, to join hands in order to prevent rigging of elections in 2015.
Buhari, who is also a prominent APC leader, had broken his silence on the proposed national conference, saying it was conceived by the PDP-led Federal Government to cover up its many inadequacies.
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