Not ready to take chances as the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) appears set to reap from the festering crisis in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), President Goodluck Jonathan has summoned the G-7 governors to a peace meeting today.
The time of the meeting scheduled for the Presidential Villa has been kept secret as this report was filed.
G-7 Govs meet at Kano Governor’s Lodge
This is even as the Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was playing host to his colleagues and the leadership of the breakaway faction of the PDP, the new PDP, at the Kano Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro. The meeting ended at about 12.10 am.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, the Niger State Governor, Mua’Zu Babangida Aliyu said the G-7 governors and the nPDP leadership applauded theappeal court verdict which re-instated Olagunsoye Oyinlola to his former position.
“We thank God for what he has done through the court for re-instating the position of the PDP national secretary: we are very happy with what has happened and the national secretary will resume his office after all due processes have been covered.
“We take it as a vindication of what has been going on because all along, these issues were issues of due process, issues of reforms. We are happy that the court has done this for us.
“So we look forward to resolution and future resolution of matters. The judgment has to be given to the PDP secretariat, and the moment he gives, he resumes”.
On their proposed meeting with the president today, Governor Aliyu said: “The onus is on Mr. President, once he calls us, we will go and meet him”.
Prominent members of the Baraje’s group that attended the meeting include state governors: RabiuKwankwaso (Kano); BabangidaAliyu (Niger); RotimiAmaechi (Rivers); AliyuWamakko (Sokoto); MurtalaNyako (Adamawa); Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Senator BukolaSaraki, Senator DanjumaGoje, Chief Sam Jaja, former Osun State Governor OlagunsoyeOyinlola, former Nasarawa State Governor AbdullahiAdamu, Chief Segun Oni and deputy governor of Jigawa State.
But today’s meeting between the president and the G-7governors, was convened by President Jonathan at the insistence of former president Olusegun Obasanjo in what could be regarded as a move to stop the governors from defecting to the APC.