Ceasefire: Aggrieved govs meet New PDP Senators, Reps

Abubakar Baraje

Aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governors on Monday night met with National Assembly members  loyal to the Abubakar Baraje-led Peoples Democratic Party.

It was leant that the impromptu meeting was convened at the instance of the governors because neither they nor their supporters in the assembly envisaged an early declaration of a ceasefire.

Governors at the meeting  were  Murtala Nyako (Adamawa);  Sule Lamido (Jigawa);  Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Rotimi Ameachi (Rivers);  and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara).

The ceasefire agreement entered into with President Goodluck  Jonathan on Sunday night, changed the game plan hence the need by the aggrieved governors to meet and strategise with the lawmakers.

This arrangement compelled Senators loyal to the New PDP  to put their attendance of the Senate PDP caucus meeting on hold.

It was further gathered that the Senators delegated Senator Ali Ndume (PDP, Borno) to convey their apologies to the Senate leadership.

The meeting between the governors and the legislators began at about 8:58pm at the Kano State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja. It  was still  in progress  as of the time of filing this report.

According to a source privy to the meeting, the Senators were invited for the  briefing by their state governors at about 8pm-the same time slated for the Senate caucus meeting.

Our correspondent further gathered that the legislators were eager to get the details of what transpired between the governors,  Jonathan and  the Tukur-led PDP in order to decide what steps to take next.

A member of the group, who pleaded  anonymity so as not to derail the peace process, said none of them was averse to a sincere truce.

He said, “We (legislators) just finished a meeting. Our governors invited us to another meeting which we are obliged to honour with due respect to the leadership of the Senate.

“The only agenda for our meeting with the governors is an update on what transpired during Sunday night’s  meeting with the President.

“This is very important because it will determine the future of this movement and what steps we will take next.”

According to the lawmaker, none of them was averse  to peace because problems within the party and the solutions were also within reach.

Another lawmaker, who also spoke in confidence, said, “Some people around the President sowed the seed of this big problem.

“They laid a foundation for this crisis because Mr. President is a decent man but politics is not a one-man show;  we all have rights  within the party and such rights cannot be trampled upon without a reaction.”

He also said the struggle was about having a better leadership in the  PDP and not the destruction of the party.

When contacted, a member of the group, who is also the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Zakari Mohammed, said,“I cannot say anything now.”

While admitting his membership of the New PDP, Mohammed  added,  “I am the Spokesman for the House of Representatives, whatever opinion I express may be interpreted to mean the position of the House.”