President Muhammadu Buhari on
Thursday held a closed door meeting with Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
NigerianEye understands that the
meeting was part of last minutes efforts to stop Saraki and aggrieved members
of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from leaving the ruling party.
The members, who have formed a
bloc which already is in alliance with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and
over 30 parties, may pull out of the APC in less than a month.
The politicans are almost against
time since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had scheduled
the conduct of Presidential and National Assembly Primary Elections to begin on
August 18, 2018.
The 24-hour arrangement
We exclusively gathered that the
meeting presided by Buhari was at the instance of some APC Governors.
The state chief executives had
visited Saraki Wednesday night after he returned to Abuja from Ilorin.
They reached out to him on phone
earlier in the day after news spread that opposition chieftains were also in
Ilorin.
Although Saraki’s trip to the
Kwara capital was for the burial of his ally’s mother, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, it
turned out to be a political assembly of disgruntled APC stalwarts and PDP leaders.
Photos from the event which
showed the supposed political opponents hobnobbing and all smiles were said to
have unsettled the presidency and APC leadership.
At the APC Governors-Saraki
parley, the visitors told him they were seeking ways to reconcile the various
groups in the APC. Saraki was said to have expressed readiness for sincere
talks.
When they left, the Governors,
who were in Abuja, for the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) meeting, later visited
the President.
They informed him that he must
change his stand that the deliberations be handled by the party leadership and
Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, who met with the N-PDP faction at least thrice
before talks broke down.
The nation’s leader then agreed
for the meeting that held today.
Issues discussed
Reliable sources disclosed that
present at the Aso Rock meeting were Buhari, Osinbajo, Saraki and the mediating
APC State Chiefs.
The agenda was clear: APC must
ensure protesting leaders and their supporters do not exit the party.
The meeting deliberated on some burning
issues in the party. Saraki tabled areas bothering him and other aggrieved
topshots.
He also advised that others be
visited or invited for genuine talks to enable the presidency and the APC hear
individual feelings, plights and demands.
The meeting harped on the need
for unity, with assurance that the accord process will work this time.
President Buhari thanked everyone
in attendance and mandated the Governors to continue with further meetings and
brief him directly.
Recall we had reported details of
the Ilorin meeting.
In attendance were Saraki, PDP
Chairman Prince Uche Secondus, Benue Governor Samuel Ortom, Sokoto Governor,
Aminu Tambuwal and Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike.
Ex-Governor Sule Lamido of
Jigawa, Senator Lawal Shuaibu, Senator Barnabas Gemade among others.
The prominent political figures
were hosted by Kwara Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed.
In his reaction, APC spokesman,
Bolaji Abdulahi, said the gathering had no political undertone.
“It wasn’t a meeting. It was
Fidau for mother of Baraje. The APC NWC was also represented there”, he said.
Also speaking, Governor Ahmed
said he was yet to take a decision on his political future with the APC.
Ahmed spoke through Dr Muyideen
Akorede, his media adviser.
He explained that the presence of
the personalities in Ilorin was “for the burial rites of the late mother of
respected politician, Alhaji Kawu Baraje and was not for the purpose of a
political realignment”.
“While I have not been briefed on
any planned defection, I am aware that my principal and other political leaders
in the state are gradually being shown the way out of the APC.”
When contacted, a source close to
Saraki informed our correspondent: “They are all just talking. No one had
joined anywhere yet”.
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