JONATHAN, G7 GOVS’ MEETING CANCELLED PDP •CONSIDERS LEGAL OPTION

The meeting scheduled to hold today between the president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan and seven aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, five of whom have defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) might have been cancelled, Sunday Tribune can report.

The meeting had been scheduled for last Sunday but it could not hold because that was the day Jonathan returned from a meeting of the Nigeria Honourary International Investment Council (HIIC) in London where he took ill.

But according to a source in the Presidency, the meeting became unnecessary following the defection last Tuesday of Governors Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State; Rabiu Kwakwanso of Kano State; Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State; Aliyu Wammako of Sokoto State and Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, to the APC, with Governors Sule Lamido of Jigawa State and Babangida Aliyu of Niger State staying back in the PDP.
However, checks by Sunday Tribune in Abuja on Saturday indicated that the meeting may have altogether been cancelled, with the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, who would normally be part of such meetings, having told Sunday Tribune in Abuja that he was not aware of any such meeting.

Meanwhile, the five defectors to the APC might have their seats declared vacant, if Sunday Tribune findings are to go by, with the PDP said to be looking at legal options available to the party.

“The party will review the case of the five governors to determine if they violated the rule of cross-carpeting. If it is established that there is no faction in the PDP, then the party will officially declare their seats vacant,” a Presidency source, adding that “the party will also review the case of the two remaining governors and if there is any need for the president to meet them, he will do so on individual basis.”

Findings revealed that the National Working Committee of the party might invite Aliyu and Lamido soon but it was not clear if the invitation will be for reconciliatory or disciplinary purpose. 
Source: Tribune