Party (PDP) got underway Thursday, as the party's National Chairman,
Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, had a closed-door meeting with three of the five
northern governors in the party, also known as the G5, who have been
holding consultations with elder statesmen nationwide.
The meeting, which took place in Tukur's private residence in Abuja,
was attended by Kano State Governor, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, and the
Governors of Jigawa and Sokoto States, Alhaji Sule Lamido and Alhaji
Aliyu Wamakko.
It however ended in a controversy as the two parties gave conflicting
accounts of what they discussed.
The meeting between Tukur and the governors coincided with former
Vice-President Atiku Abubakar reaffirming his loyalty to the PDP in
the wake of a report that he had teamed up with nine governors of the
party and others to float a new political party, Peoples Democratic
Movement (PDM), which is seeking registration with the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He also added that he would not stop his associates from founding a
political party, if they so desire.
It was learnt that Tukur was in his office atthe PDP headquarters when
he learnt that the three governors were waiting for him in his house.
He immediately left for his house and on arrival, went into a
closed-door meeting withhis guests.
The three governors were said to have apologised on behalf of the
other governors, notably Adamawa and Niger State Governors, Murtala
Nyako and Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, who were absent.
The meeting between Tukur and the governors came a day after a two-day
reconciliatory meeting called by former President Olusegun Obasanjo
and attended by the 23 governors elected on the party's ticket ended
in a deadlock over the intransigence of the warring camps in PDP.
The internal discord in the PDP and the Nigeria Governors' forum (NGF)
topped the agenda of the two-day meeting brokered by Obasanjo.
However, the meeting could not forge a consensus on the resolution of
the crises following the refusal of the two camps in theparty to agree
on how to resolve the chairmanship tussle in the NGF.
Many of the governors have also sought Tukur's ouster, saying he
lacked the capacity to run the party and would have been booted out of
office but for the support of President Goodluck Jonathan that kept
him in his seat.
But a late night statement by Tukur's media aide, Oliver Okpala, said
that the meeting resolved that the northern governors have reconciled
with the leadership of the party, adding that all that happened in the
past occurred because of a gap in communication amidst misinformation
from those between the governors and the leadership of the party.
Tukur's aide also quoted the northern governors as stating that having
listened to the national chairman, they have now been properly
informed about the running of the party and promised they would work
in harmony and unity with the leadership of the party. They also
pledged their loyalty to Tukur.
The statement added that the national chairman, after listening to
them, promised to forgive and forget all that has transpired in the
past and assured them that the leadership of the party will work with
the governors, stressing that any member of the party that feels
aggrieved over any activity ofthe party should utilise all the
internal mechanisms and platforms set out by the party to resolve the
issues under the three cardinal Rs of "Reconciliation, Reformation and
Rebuilding".
The statement said their visit was a confirmation of the consultations
adopted by the leadership of the party to ensure total reconciliation
of aggrieved members as set out by the National Reconciliation
Committeeheaded by Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson.
Giving their own account of the meeting, oneof the governors told
newsmen that they confronted the PDP chairman with several issues of
maladministration he was alleged to have perpetuated and accused him
of destroying the party.
When asked if they apologised to Tukur, the governor denied it,
stating, "Apology for what. What wrong have we done to apologise? This
is one of the misrepresentations we want to correct. This isthe
impunity that we complain of."
In the meantime, reacting to the perception yesterday that he was
behind the formation of PDM, the former vice-president who reaffirmed
his loyalty to the PDP, explained that he could not stop his political
associates from forming new parties.
Atiku confirmed that associates of the formerChief of General Staff,
the late Major-General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, have applied to INEC to
register the PDM.
Responding to enquiries from THISDAY, Atiku, through his media aide,
Garba Shehu,said: "While he (Atiku) remains a loyal PDP member, he
does not have the right or power to stop others from associating or
seeking registration of new parties.
"Following press enquiries on the reported registration of the Peoples
Democratic Movement (PDM) as a political party, the former
vice-president said he would always welcome the expansion of the
political space to accommodate all shades of opinions or political
hues.
"While admitting that many of his political associates are involved in
the registration of the PDM, Atiku Abubakar explained that he had no
powers to stop adults with common interests from coming together to
form a party."
According to him, "Freedom of association as enshrined in the
constitution is the beauty of democracy and he will not dissuade any
of his followers from seeking a platform to promote their programmes.
"Political analysts recalled the active role of the PDM in the
country's democratic transition from the Babangida, Abacha and
Abdulsalami administrations.
"The PDM platform, which was founded by the late General Shehu Musa
Yar'Adua, provided the impetus for his impressive performance across
the country during the September 1992 presidential primaries, which
were later cancelled by the military regime.
"The late Gen. Yar'Adua came close to becoming president, thanks to
the formidable PDM structure. In 1999, the PDM was also in the
forefront in the emergence of former President Obasanjo as PDP
presidential candidate.
"Political observers also noted that the choice of Atiku Abubakar as
running mate to Obasanjo in 1999 was in recognition of the active role
of the PDM platform in his victory."
Also reacting to the report on the registration of PDM, INEC in a
statement by the Chief Press Secretary to its chairman, Kayode Idowu,
said it was not aware that nine PDP governors were part of the new
political party.
The statement said: "INEC, by law, receives applications for party
registration and treats them on an individual merit. It makes no
public issue of the party identity or their promoters."
But close associates of the former vice-president confided in THISDAY
that Atiku was briefed about the formation of the new party.
According to one of them from the South-east, who is also a member of
the PDM, "the former vice-president was told when we applied for
registration and therefore he is aware of whatever we are doing."
Commenting on the registration of PDM, PDP's acting National Publicity
Secretary, Mr. Tony Okeke, described the report that nine governors of
the party had been identified as promoters of the PDM as "a rumour and
mere speculation", stating that there is no need for the party to
react to such unconfirmed news.
"We are in touch with our governors and theyhave denied that they are
part of the planned registration of a new party. To us, it is still
inthe domain of rumours and speculation and there is no need for the
party to react. We don'trespond to rumours," he said.
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