Attempts by the two factions of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) to resume peace talks yesterday suffered a major setback as the
aggrieved governors sought for more time to consult.
The talks will now hold on Tuesday
in Abuja.
The Chairman of the Board of
Trustees of PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, and one of the aggrieved governors
confirmed the postponement last night.
There were fears that the governors
might not return to the negotiation table with President Goodluck Jonathan.
The National Chairman of the New PDP
faction, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, inspected yesterday the party’s secretariat in Abuja.
But there were signs yesterday that
Jonathan may have bowed to pressure from party chiefs to ease out a factional
National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo is to
meet with some governors and party leaders on Friday on the way forward.
According to one of the aggrieved
governors, who spoke in confidence, there was need for “more consultations on
issues raised on Sunday night at the Presidential Villa”.
The governor said: “We succeeded in
laying down all the grievances and issues behind the crisis in PDP on Sunday,
but there was no commitment from either of the two factions.
“We sought for more time to consult
because we cannot trust Jonathan that he would honour our demands. We have to
watch before we leap.
“Our fears were informed by the fact
that on the eve of the Special National Convention of the party, PDP governors
had a meeting with the leadership of the party and the Presidency that party
structures should be restored to governors in Adamawa and Rivers states.
“In fact, at the meeting, we agreed
that only delegates loyal to the Governor of Adamawa State, Admiral Murtala
Nyako, should be accredited and allowed to vote. But, at the convention, Tukur
reneged on the agreement and barred even statutory delegates from attending the
convention.
“If we give in to the President, how
are we sure that he will not renege on the agreement? This is why we are
consulting widely.”
Anenih told reporters yesterday that
the peace talks had been shifted at the prompting of the aggrieved governors.
Anenih said the talks would resume
on Tuesday.
He said the resumption would be
preceded by a meeting between Obasanjo and some governors on Friday as part of
wider consultations being sought by parties to the crisis.
He said the aggrieved governors told
the Presidency and the PDP leadership that they needed to make wider
consultations, which he said the Presidency and the PDP leadership were not
averse to.
The Presidency and the PDP
leadership are taking advantage of the postponement to also consult widely on
how to amicably resolve the crisis, Anenih said.
He said: “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.
“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.”
Despite the assurance of a likely
resolution of the crisis by Anenih, the New PDP is forging ahead, putting
finishing touches to its National Secretariat.
Jonathan has met with some elders
and leaders of the party on the way out of the crisis.
It was gathered that the leaders
advised the President to ask Tukur to step aside – in line with one of the
recommendations of a committee headed by the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim.
A source said “when the leaders
raised Tukur’s issue, the President said he was being “systematic about his
exit”.
Jonathan reportedly said, he
actually wanted Tukur to preside over the Special National Convention before
asking the next National Executive Committee(after the convention) to look into
the issues raised by some PDP members against the National Chairman.
The President, it was said, observed
that those aggrieved were just “impatient” as he could not just remove Tukur
without consultations and due process in a democratic setting.
“The President said since the
aggrieved governors have taken upissues with Tukur, he would look into it with
other leaders. So, this is a bargaining point the President will take to the
negotiation table on Tuesday,” the source said.
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Politics