FOUR NORTHERN GOVS MEET EKWUEME

As part of consultations preparatory to the 2015 presidential election, four northern governors on Saturday met with Second Republic Vice-President, Dr.  Alex Ekwueme.

The meeting which was held in the Asokoro District, Abuja ended around 6:08pm.

This is coming barely one week after the group paid a similar visit to former President Shehu  Shagari, in Sokoto.

It was gathered that Governors Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and that of Sokoto, Aliyu Wamakko, met Ekwueme to discuss the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party.

Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu did not attend the meeting because he is in Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser hajj.

Although no formal statement was issued after the meeting, SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that the governors urged the former VP who is also a foundation member of the PDP to intervene in the crisis.

A source familiar with the discussion who pleaded for anonymity because he was not authorised to speak said, “The general wellbeing of the nation was discussed. But what was more pertinent was the crisis within our party.

“The PDP is a party built on mutual respect. It was recalled that the former VP chaired one of several reconciliation committees set up by the party to reconcile aggrieved members.

“His committee presented a comprehensive report and made far reaching recommendations.

“Has any of the recommendations contained in that report been implemented?  Yet each time there is an issue, committees made up of the President’s friends are set up and given the same tasks.

“We seem to be going round in circles, the party leadership knows what the core issues are but it has constantly shied away from them.”

Another source said the governors also discussed the crises in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Rivers State with Ekwueme.

It was not clear as the time of filing this report, if the four governors were also able to meet with former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who they planned to visit as part of their consultations.

However, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that the governors would meet with a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, either on Sunday (today) or Monday.

The governors, along with their Niger State counterpart, Babangida Aliyu, had last week, paid similar visits to a former President, Olusegun Obasanjo; a former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; and a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Source: Punch