G 7 Governors Maintain Stand On Tukur/Goodluck

THE G7 governors, on the platform of the New Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday painted a gloomy picture of the ongoing reconciliation efforts with the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP as it insisted that it would not back down unless President Jonathan honours the conditions it laid on the table for reconciliation.

The G7 position is coming amid clamour by some top members of the PDP to allow the opposing faction have their exit from the main fold, contending that their continued stay in the PDP would always give the leaders and the President some sleepless nights.

The deputy National Chairman of the party in the North West, Ambassador Ibrahim Musa Kazaure who spoke for the seven governors in Sokoto disclosed that up till now, indication was yet to emerge that the Bamanga Tukur led PDP was prepared to accept the terms of reconciliation the governors had listed.

The Governor of Jigawa state, Dr Sule Lamido who was also in Sokoto had earlier vowed that the G7 governors would continue to fight on and would never back down having been sure that the cause they have been fighting was just and pro-masses.

Lamido told a mammoth crowd in Sokoto where he went to commission projects that the G7 had saddled themselves with the task of rescuing the Nigerian democracy and the need to re-organise the PDP to make the party comply with the yearnings and aspiration of ordinary members.

He said the governors have only been fighting on the side of the masses of Nigeria whom he said had been misappropriated.

He said struggles by the G7 was also to ensure that no one, either at the federal or state levels would be able to stand in the way of the down trodden. The struggles, according to him was to ensure the return of Nigeria to the path of the truth, justice, equity, fair play and stability of Nigeria.

He said, “The media had referred to us as rebel. But we are not rebels at all. We are the true democrats. We are the custodians of democracy in the land. We are not for any ethnic or religious bias but fighting to make sure democracy in the nation does not die. We are fighting against the enemies of democracy and we  don’t plan to give up on that struggle because what we are fighting for has not been actualized.

“I want to assure you that the group has come to stay until justice is restored in our party. I can see the banners of seven of us everywhere here in Sokoto. So we have come to stay.”

Kazaure who was at the airport in the company with Lamido said he spoke for the governor, the other six governors and all members of the new PDP members, insisting, “Anybody who tells you the differences have been settled is not saying the truth. If you call it war, I then will tell you that the war is still on because the offending group that decided to run the party against the constitution has not relented in its bid to remain lawless.

“We can only reconcile when the leadership of PDP accept that our party operates within its laws. We formed the party when most of them were not there and we won’t allow them hijack it and ruin our efforts.”

Kazaure said the PDP Chairman and his group had insisted the law won’t be followed. They sack and suspend leaders and members arbitrarily. They manage the party without recourse to the rules and constitution and we said no to that. That is the cause of the problem. So we have to insist that things be done lawfully and orderly.”