VP Osinbajo and nPDP members meeting (Photo:NAN)
Few weeks after receiving its protest letter, a delegation of the
All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government, is currently
meeting with the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) faction.
The APC delegation led by Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo are
currently holding gtalks with the nPDP delegation let by the President
of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, in Akinnola Aguda House.
In FG delegation are Lawal Shuaib, Deputy Chairman of the APC,
Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, Deputy Chief
of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Ade Ipaye and the National
Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno.
On nPDP side are the President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki,
SASpeaker Yakubu Dogara, Governor of Sokoto State Aminu Tambuwal, Leader
of the nPDP Kawu Baraje, Gov. Abdulfatai Ahmed of Kwara.
Others on the nPDP delegation are Senator Rabui Musa Kwakwanso,
former Governor of Adamawa State Murtala Nyako, a former leader of the
PDP Senator Barnabas Gemade, former governor of Gombe State Sen. Danjuma
Goje and other House of Representatives members.
Three weeks ago, the nPDP members issued a seven-day ultimatum, asking the party to address their complaints of marginalization.
Their letter which was addressed to the National chairman of the
APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, was signed by by Alhaji Abubakar Kawu
Baraje, former National Chairman of the former PDP bloc and Prince
Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the group’s former National Secretary.
Both signatories are known to be lukewarm to the alliance put
together in 2014, with Oyinlola openly rejecting a board appointment and
teaming up with Olusegun Obasanjo’s national coalition movement and
Baraje being accused by APC members in Kwara state of being anti-Buhari.
With the tone of the letter, the political bloc may just be preparing the ground
to break away.
The group accused the ruling APC of marginalising its members in
cabinet positions, board appointments and working to block the emergence
of Yakubu Dogara and Bukola Saraki as speaker and senate president in
2015.
The group also listed five other sins committed against them by the
APC, among them the lack of consultation of their members in decision
making and the harassment of their members, which was not substantiated.
They thus gave Chief John Oyegun, seven days to respond and arrange a meeting.
“Given the constraining factor of available time and in the
interest of our great Party, it is strongly advised that the said urgent
meeting be held not later than Seven (7) days from the date of the
receipt of this letter,” the letter read.
However, after the expiration of heir ultimatum, nothing was heard
from either the APC or the nPDP as regards their next line of action,
save for the Leader of the nPDP to state that the faction was still part
of the APC.
Since the issuance of the ultimatum, this is the first meeting that is being held.
Details of the meeting will be reported soon.
-NAN