President Muhammadu Buhari with L-R: Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Senior Special Assistants Nass Matters Senator Eta Eg as he hosts Leadership of National Assembly to Dinner on the State House Residence on 26th Oct 2017.
Plans by high members of the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) to defect from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) seems stalled for now.
Supporters of the nPDP are piling strain on their leaders to allow them to know their subsequent line of motion after they suspended peace talks with the ruling party.
The nPDP, which includes Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara , Governor Aminu Tambuwwal (Sokoto), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and Senator Abdul-Aziz Nyako, amongst others, desires to exit the APC over alleged marginalisation and harassment of its members by the management of the ruling party.
Nyako stated final week that there isn't a going again on their resolution to depart the APC.
He stated the group has held talks with the PDP, Social Democratic Party (SDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) with a view to selecting which one to merge with.
The group can also be contemplating forming a new party, he stated.
However, The Nation gathered that confusion has gripped the group with members of group unable to achieve an settlement on how one can go about their exit from the APC.
Some members are even stated to be against the thought of defection.
Sources conversant in the event stated nPDP members rooting for defection should not proud of the APC management for its dealing with of complaints arising from the conduct of the current congresses of the party in states like Bauchi, Adamawa and Kano.
The nPDP just lately pulled out of talks with the presidency, citing alleged continued persecution of Saraki, withdrawal of safety aides of the principal officers of the National Assembly and the choice of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun led NWC to go forward with the ratification of the congresses from wards, native governments and states the place a few of its members had points.
A source in Kano State stated many members of the group are stunned at what they see as foot-dragging by their leaders within the face of apparent nonchalance in the direction of its complaints by the presidency and the management of the APC.
Such members marvel why the APC is busy with preparations for the nationwide conference with out first trying into the grievances of the nPDP.
“We don’t need anybody to tell us that the APC cares less about how we feel,” the source stated.
“We are saying we have now been sidelined on the ward, native authorities and state ranges of the party, with out addressing our complaints.
“The party goes forward to make use of the identical processes we're faulting to conduct elections on the nationwide stage. What extra do we have to see for us to know that is the time to behave?
“Unfortunately, a few of our leaders are taking part in some video games we don’t perceive. We are all stakeholders on this matter and we should all be involved with frequent curiosity and never some private issues.
“I hope we will be able to take the right decision as a group. I say this because many of us are very concerned and we are not comfortable with the uncertainty that is now the order of the day in nPDP,” the source, a former Commissioner in Kano State, stated.
Other sources instructed The Nation, nevertheless, that opposite to such opinions, some main chieftains of the nPDP could have tactically resolved to droop strikes about leaving the APC till after the conference.
This, it was gathered, is knowledgeable by the willingness of the camp of Saraki to attend and see how a few of his males in search of elective positions on the conference will fare.
For now, the one posts nPDP can declare are the National Publicity Secretary which is at the moment held by Bolaji Abdullahi and National Treasurer, held by Mohammed Gwagwarwa.
Both males are within the race for re-election at Saturday’s conference.
Abdulahi is an affiliate of Saraki whereas Gwagwana is a staunch supporter of Senator Kwankwaso.