The plan by the Chairman, of the
PDP Governors Forum, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, to reconcile Governor Rotimi
Amaechi of Rivers State with the leadership of the party appears doomed.
The Presidency is said not to be
favourably disposed to any such reconciliation and has thus not given
Akpabio the green light to proceed with the plan.
The position of the Presidency comes
against the backdrop of the snub given the Chairman of the Nigerian
Governors’ Forum (NGF) at the Wednesday “mid-term dinner for
transformation team” in Abuja when security aides to President Goodluck
Jonathan physically prevented the governor from exchanging pleasantries
with the president.
Presidency sources later said the governor got that treatment for “breaching protocol.”
Besides,the Amaechi camp and that of the
factional NGF chairman, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, are
clinging to their claims to the leadership of the NGF.
Sources said yesterday that neither group is interested in any political solution to the crisis rocking the forum.
The Presidency is resolute in its backing for Jang and its antagonism towards Amaechi.
Amaechi and his 19 loyal governors prefer a legal solution to a backdoor approach or political solution.
One of his backers, Governor Babatunde Fashola has gone to court to stop Jang from parading himself as NGF chairman.
Those in the G-16, being led by Governor Jonah Jang, are still laying claim to what they call consensus mandate.
It was gathered that the G-19 governors
backing Amaechi have decided to make the NGF election a barometer for
judging the environment for 2015 poll.
At their meeting on Wednesday, the
governors decided to hold on to Amaechi’s mandate without desecrating
the Office of the President.
It was gathered the same solidarity was taken to the National Economic Council meeting on Thursday.
A governor, who spoke in confidence,
said: “Akpabio’s pronouncement was a mere political statement. Nobody
has approached either Amaechi or any of the governors supporting him for
reconciliation.
“You do not negotiate the conclusive result of a free and fair election. We do not want Amaechi’s mandate to be wished away.
“One of us has also gone to court. Even
if they want reconciliation, they should wait till the court decides on
the authentic winner of the election.
“Nigerians should just await the evidence we will tender in court to prove that Amaechi was actually elected.”
Another source said: “With what happened
in NEC on Thursday, it was obvious that no reconciliation has started.
We are not even anticipating any reconciliation.
“The main problem is that those seeking
reconciliation are those fueling the crisis. Have they lifted the
suspension on Amaechi in the PDP? Let them start the reconciliation from
this point.
“Only some South-South traditional
rulers have tried to intervene in the crisis between President Goodluck
Jonathan and Amaechi, but they could not go far.”
It was gathered that the confidence of
the G-19 is being buoyed by the fact that most foreign missions in the
country have become interested in the NGF matter as they consider it as
an indicator for the 2015 poll.
The First Secretary, Embassy of the
Netherlands, Ms. Anique Claessen, had on Wednesday, said: “If a small
group of 36 cannot agree on and respect the outcome of a democratic
election, what are the prospects for elections involving millions?”
A reliable source said: “Most of these
foreign missions are interested in how a governor with 16 votes can
emerge winner over his colleague with 19 votes.
“As a matter of fact, they have been
raising enquiries over the likelihood of a free and fair poll in 2015
with this kind of electoral environment.
“It will be impossible for the G-19 to give up through an under-the table-negotiation. This will make a mockery of all of us.”
Fresh information also emerged yesterday
that last minute intelligence report made Vice-President Namadi Sambo
to change the free-sitting system at the last meeting of the National
Economic Council.
It was gathered that the presidency had
got wind of the alleged plan by the G-19 governors to walk out if the
reserved NGF chair was conceded to Jang.
“It would be embarrassing for governors
to walk out of the nation’s economic council meeting. That will send a
wrong signal to the outside world and the reputation damage will be
difficult to repair,” one source familiar with the matter said
yesterday.
“Having got intelligence report, the VP adopted naming of seats in alphabetical order. This helped to douse tension.
“Even the expensive jokes cracked by the
governors on the NGF crisis before the meeting started were signs of
what would have happened if either Amaechi or Jang was recognized,” said
a source.
THE NATION
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