PDP crisis: Jonathan holds crucial talk with Govs Lamido, Aliu

President Goodluck Jonathan late Sunday night met with Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa and his Niger State counterpart  Governor Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu for the first time since five of their counterparts in G-7 decamped to the All Progressive Congress (APC). The meeting, which began at 7.40pm and ended at 10.50pm, centred on the crisis plaguing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It was held at the First Lady Wing of the State House in Abuja.

According to reports, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo and Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim had met with some PDP governors inside House Seven of the State House.

Governors Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Martins Elechi (Ebonyi), Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Idris Wada (Kogi), Jonah Jang (Plateau), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Theodore Orji (Abia), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Liyel Imoke (Cross River) as well as the deputy governors of Kaduna and Niger State attended the meeting. All participants kept mum on the issues discussed. However, the chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, spoke on the meeting President Jonathan had with the two rebel governors, describing it as very useful.

He said, 'We have had our meeting presided over by the president with the Vice President in attendance. We had very useful meeting, the summary of it all is that we are happy that we are moving to restore confidence and trust. There will be series of meetings between now and the weekend'. Also speaking, on whether he would defect to the APC, Jigawa Governor Lamido merely said: 'I stand by my principles which is one Nigeria which is based on law and order'.

For his own part, Niger State Governor Aliyu said he still remains a member of the PDP. According to him, 'I am a member of PDP and that is why I am here at this meeting and as I said before the whole idea was to bring sanity back to our party and that is what we are still discussing. We are meeting again on Sunday but there will be series of meetings before then'.