nPDP, APC peace talks hit rock

…Saraki, Dogara, Baraje accuse APC, presidency of bad faith
Meanwhile, the ongoing talks between aggrieved members of the new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency has hit the rocks as the nPDP is accusing the leadership of the ruling APC and the Presidency of bad faith and blackmail.

In a statement made available on Monday, the Chairman of nPDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, hinted of the collapse of the reconciliation talks.

He added that while the nPDP members were truly committed to achieving reconciliation, harmony and cohesion in the APC ahead of the 2019 general elections, the Presidency and the APC are not interested in the talks.

He said that the presidency may have been negotiating in bad faith, declaring that further talks with the presidency will be put on hold until it receives a fresh mandate from its members to continue with the peace moves.

Based on this, talks between the former nPDP members led by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and four others, with the Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo scheduled for Monday may have been cancelled.

Baraje stated that the nPDP members were alarmed that immediately after our meeting with the Vice President last week, the presidency misrepresented what transpired at the meeting by trying to blackmail some of the principal actors involved in the discussions in a national daily.

He also accused the leadership of the APC of going ahead to ratify all the congresses from ward, local governments, states and zonal levels where many of nPDP members have complaints, “effectively presenting us with a fait accompli.

Baraje then said, “The persecution of our members using state security apparatus have continued unabated.

“Given the unfolding events in the last 24 hours, where the President of the Senate, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara state, both of whom attended the meeting with the Vice President on Monday, May, 28, 2018, have suddenly been accused of sponsoring armed robbery by the police under the directives of the presidency.

“Similarly, on June 2, 2018, the Department of State of Services (DSS) also suddenly withdrew more than half of all the security details attached to the presiding officers of the National Assembly under questionable circumstances.

“We recognize the powers of the police to conduct criminal investigations but by rushing to the public with the issue even when they have unfettered access to the leadership of the National Assembly suggests an attempt to undermine, caricature and humiliate the institution of the legislature.

According to him, it appears that there is a fouled and toxic atmosphere and environment of intimidation and threat to life in which the nPDP members now find themselves which may no longer be conducive for them to continue with the peace talks.

“The nPDP leadership has decided to brief our members on the unfortunate development and get a fresh mandate if good faith returns to the discussions,” he added.