|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Members of the new Peoples Democratic Party nPDP in the All Progressive Congress ( APC) have suspended further talks with President Muhammadu Buhari citing intimidation of its members.
This was contained in a statement by the leader of the nPDP in the APC, Kawu Baraje, who noted that ” it is no longer conducive for members of the former nPDP to continue the talk”
Baraja said “It appears that there is a fouled and toxic atmosphere and environment of intimidation adding that ” and the threat to life in which we now find ourselves which may no longer be conducive for members of the former nPDP to continue with the talks”
“Given the unfolding events in the last 24 hours, where the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and His Excellency, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, the Executive Governor of Kwara State , both of whom attended the meeting with the Vice President on Monday 28 May, 2018 ,have suddenly been accused of sponsoring armed robbery by the Police under the directives of the Presidency.”
“Similarly, on Saturday, June 2nd, 2018, the Department of State of Services (DSS) also suddenly withdrew more than half of all the security details attached to the presiding officers of the National Assembly under questionable circumstances”
Baraja recalled that there have been ongoing talks between members of the former nPDP, the APC and the Presidency in recent days.
A team from the former nPDP led by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and four others, were to meet with the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on Monday.
Baraje noted that “while we are truly and earnestly committed to achieving reconciliation, harmony, truce and cohesion in the APC as we approach the 2019 general elections, it is appears that the Presidency is not interested in the talks and that they may have been negotiating in bad faith.”
He said the group was alarmed that immediately after their meeting with the Vice President last week, the presidency misrepresented what transpired at the meeting by trying to blackmail some of the principal actors involved in the discussions in a national daily.
He further noted that the leadership of the party (APC) had also gone ahead to ratify all the Congresses from ward, local governments, states and zonal where many of their members have complaints,” effectively presenting us with a fait accompli”
” The persecution of our members using state security apparatus have continued unabated”
“We recognize the powers of the Police to conduct criminal investigations but by rushing to the public with the issue even when they have unfettered access to the leadership of the National Assembly suggests an attempt to undermine, caricature and humiliate the institution of the legislature.”
He said they nPDP leadership has decided to brief their ” members on the unfortunate development and get a fresh mandate if good faith returns to the discussions”
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
