Curtains were drawn yesterday on the existence of the factional new Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as the final consummation of the romance between the faction and the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, ended in a political marriage, with some members divorcing even before the marriage was consummated.
Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State and Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State who are front line members of the new PDP stayed away from the venue of the merger talks and were neither represented. Apparently, they may not have endorsed the merger. The presidency was quick to react, describing the development as a non-issue.
Governor of Niger State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu and his Kwara State counterpart, Abdulfatah Ahmed, stormed out of the event midway into the meeting where the merger agreement was sealed by the leaders of APC and new PDP.
After the meeting which lasted for close to three hours, indications that something was amiss emerged when the national chairman of new PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, was mandated to read the agreement reached by the two parties.
Baraje, who was fidgeting, had problem reading the terse two-paragraph statement and the national leaders of APC had to correct him several times as he read the short statement.
The statement read: “The leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the new PDP met this morning at the residence of the Kano State governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
“After exhaustive deliberation, the two parties agreed to merge in order to rescue our fledgling democracy and the nation”.
While Baraje was reading the statement, he referred to the All Progressives Congress as “All Peoples Congress” and when he came to the part where the statement said they were merging he changed it and said they have agreed “to work together.”
Former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu and another APC leader, Chief Bisi Akande, had to stop and correct him to stick to the exact wordings in the communiqué at different times.
However, in a swift reaction, Niger State governor had denied reports purporting that he has dumped the ruling PDP for the APC, saying he remains a member of the PDP.
Aliyu’s Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, said yesterday in Abuja that his principal was shocked at the announcement of the merger of New PDP and APC even before a final decision was taken on the matter.
Ndayebo also stated that the governor was not present at the meeting where the merger deal was sealed between the Baraje –led New PDP and APC leaders as widely reported by the media. Aliyu insisted that talks were still ongoing with the president and he would await the outcome of the negotiation before taking a final decision.
Reacting, Special Adviser to the president on political affairs, Ahmed Gulak, said the presidency is not in any way threatened by the action of the decamped governors.
Speaking to state house correspondents at the presidential villa shortly after the news of the defection, Gulak said both the presidency and the PDP rather see it as a development that would end the long existing distraction in the party.
Ahead of the 2015 general elections, Gulak stressed that “No, no, the presidency does not feel threatened; the PDP does not feel threatened. PDP is the party to beat. We have had it before; even people who occupied higher offices left the party and came back to the party. Outside there is nothing, its empty. PDP is the only party. It’s good that they have shown the world that they have taken a stand so that PDP will not be distracted” he said.
Also speaking on the merger, the PDP National Secretary, Prof Wale Oladipo, said the PDP is not worried or disturbed by the defection, explaining that those who did not deliver their states for the president at the 2011 election cannot now determine the fate of the PDP and the president in 2015.
Oladipo said “Multi-party democracy is now entrenched in our nation and everyone is free to take advantage of this and move to any political party where they believe their political interest would best be served.
“We had always believed that there is more to this orchestrated conflict within our party than meets the eyes. As for the APC, they are still exercising their freedom of association that the PDP government had entrenched in this country in past 14 years.