We’re still discussing with Amaechi, others –PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party has said it is still engaged in discussions with all its major stakeholders,  including  the  five  governors, who defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress.

The party, in a statement by its  National Publicity Secretary , Chief Olisa Metuh, on Thursday,  said it  believed that it would be difficult for  any of its members and elected officials to  defect.

The  governors  that dumped the PDP are  Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara); Aliyu Wamakko(Sokoto);  Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); and Rabiu Kwakwanso  (Kano).

Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu and his Jigawa State counterpart, Sule Lamido, who were among the seven governors known as aggrieved/rebel governors, are still in the PDP.

On  Wednesday, the PDP National Chairman , Alhaji Bamanga Tukur,  had stunned journalists in Abuja when he claimed that he was not aware of any member of the party defecting.

Asked  by the journalists  if the action  of the five governors   was discussed during his closed-door meeting with  the PDP Senate Caucus and the Central Working Committee of the party, Tukur replied, “Have they defected? They have not gone yet.”

The PDP, in the statement by Metuh, said it had not  foreclosed discussions with the five governors, Aliyu, Lamido and its other aggrieved members.

It also debunked  reports in   the media  that some Senators walked out on Tukur during the Wednesday meeting.

The party described the reported walkout as “totally false and deliberately planted “by its enemies  to mislead the public and impede efforts by its  leadership to achieve total reconciliation of its aggrieved members.

 The statement reads in part, “The fact remains that our elected and appointed officers, including our governors share the same ideals and principles with the administrators of the party and remain unflinchingly committed to the visions of the founding fathers.

 “The PDP is not only a political party but a belief which cannot be easily jettisoned.

 “It is a belief in national interest; a belief in the unity of the country and in satisfying the interests of the common man. These ideals remain greater than any personal interest and will outlive us all.”

 The statement added that in this regard, the National Working Committee  of the PDP had resolved to ensure that all issues were handled along the lines of these ideals and in accordance with the  party’s constitution, the 1999 Constitution  and  other  laws of the land.

The party therefore  urged all its members to remain calm and focused to enable it to come out of its current challenges stronger than ever.

But  Nyako, Amaechi, Ahmed and Kwakwanso,    while reacting to Tukur’s comment on their defection advised the PDP  to face issues rather than chasing shadows.

They insisted that they   had left the PDP for good.

Nyako, who spoke through his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Mr.

Ahmad Sajoh, said ,   “When the governors of Bauchi and Zamfara moved from ANPP to the PDP, did it require a ceremony? What evidence does he (Tukur) want?

“Tukur has been unable to provide justice within the PDP and people are leaving the party; instead of facing the reality he is talking about people not leaving.

 “The movement of people away from the PDP is not under his control, what is under his control is the level of impunity and brigandage that is within the party. He has powers to do that within the PDP.

“He has no powers to determine whether people leave the PDP or not. He can control the machinery of the PDP, but he cannot control the conscience of the people.”

 Nyako said that, for as long as  impunity continued in  the PDP,  many of its members   would  still leave.

 Kwakwanso, through  his Director of Press and Public Relations, Baba Dantiye ,  also said,  “he   is now in  the APC.”

 Spokesperson  for the Sokoto State Governor, Mallam Sani Umar, said there was no controversy over where his principal stood on the issue.

He said, “He has made his stand very clear on the issue. There is no controversy.”

In his reaction  Ahmed reiterated his commitment to the APC.

His spokesperson, Dr. Muideen Akorede, said, “Governor  Ahmed stands by the position stated by Alhaji Abubakar  Baraje on  November  25 that the group has agreed on a Memoradum of Association to work with the parties that make up the APC.”