Despite spirited attempts to resolve the crisis rocking the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, which split into two weeks ago, there were indications that the attempt by the Presidency to gloss over the Rivers State issue had stalled negotiations.
The Presidency, it was learnt, had asked stakeholders that the Rivers State crisis could only be looked into after the withdrawal of the several cases pending in courts but the G-7 feared that it was a tacit plot by the forces led by the Presidency to punish the governor.
There was concern that the Presidency was determined to isolate the Governor of
Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi and make him a scapegoat of the crisis.
It was learnt that the President and his team at the peace talk on Tuesday night at the Presidential Villa were non-committal on all issues relating to Amaechi.
Jonathan is said to have agreed to make what a source described as “little concessions” relating to issues pertaining to the governor, thereby fuelling speculations that he and his team had made up their minds to reign in Amaechi at all cost.
At the meeting on one side were the President and the Chairman of the BoT, Tony Anenih, the Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Chief Godswill Akpabio; Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River and his Kogi counterpart, Capt. Idris Wada.
On the side of the G-7 governors were Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Babangida Aliyu; and Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto). One of the sources at the meeting said: “The grievances of the governors were tabled and revisited one by one by all those
at the meeting.
“When the issue of party structure in each of the affected states came up, the overriding interest of PDP was put into the consideration and the President and his team agreed that
the authentic party structures should be restored in Adamawa and Kano states.
“As for Rivers State, the President and his team advised all the parties to withdraw their suits in court to resolve the matter.
“Although the President admitted that the suspension of Amaechi was illegal and the required 30 days had elapsed, everything was predicated on the resolution of disputes in court.
“There was suspicion by the G-7 governors that the presidency came with a mindset to resolve issues except the crisis in Rivers. They are trying to isolate Amaechi to deal with him.
“Everybody has been wondering why the President’s body language was different on Rivers State. Jonathan was non-committal on the solutions to Rivers crisis.
On the row in the Nigeria Governors Forum, the source stated: “Those with the President advised Amaechi to step down but the governor said he would not relinguish his mandate and the case was shifted to Sunday.
Regarding 2015 poll, another source said one of the governors at the session created tension when he took advantage of the talks to lash out at G-7 governors.
He said the G-7 governors and others were deliberately causing crisis because of 2015 poll in order to stop Jonathan from contesting.
But one of the governors from the North said he had been in four meetings, including Ethiopia and United States where Jonathan said he would not contest.
The source added: “When the tension was too much, it was agreed that 2015 poll should be put on the agenda at the next meeting on Sunday. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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I knew all the while. GEJ wants to isolate Amaechi in order to deal with him. This is the time to test their friendship. Will the Northern Governors abandon him at this time and settle with GEJ? Time will tell
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