NPDP pulls out of negotiation with Presidency, APC

The members of the New Peoples Democratic Party bloc in the All Progressives Congress on Monday announced its decision to back out of the talks with the Presidency and the leadership of the APC.
The decision of the nPDP to back out of the talks was contained in a statement issued by the Chairman of the bloc, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu, Baraje, on Monday.
The bloc accused the Presidency and the leadership of the APC of showing bad faith in the discussion by taking steps that were inimical to the positions of the members of the nPDP.
Among the issues raised by the statement were the ratification of the congresses which some of the members complained about and the move by the police inviting the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, over the April 5, 2018 robbery in Offa and the indictment of the Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, over the same.
The statement by Baraje reads in full: “The public may recall that there have been ongoing talks between members of the former Npdp, the APC and the Presidency in recent days.
“Nigerians may further recall that a team from the former nPDP led by Speaker of the House of Representatives, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara and four others, were to meet with the Vice President, His Excellency Prof Yemi Osinbajo today.
“However, while we are truly and earnestly committed to achieving reconciliation, harmony, truce and cohesion in the APC as we approach the 2019 general elections, it is appears that the Presidency is not interested in the talks and that they may have been negotiating in bad faith.
“We 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.
“Similarly, the leadership of the party (APC) went ahead to ratify all the Congresses from ward, local governments, states and zonal where many of our members have complaints, effectively presenting us with a fait accompli.
“The persecution of our members using state security apparatus have continued unabated.
“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.
“It appears that there is a fouled and toxic atmosphere and environment of intimidation and threat to life in which we now find ourselves which may no longer be conducive for members of the former nPDP to continue with the talks. Given the unfolding events in the last 24 hours, where the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and His Excellency, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, both of whom attended the meeting with the Vice President on Monday 28 May, 2018, have suddenly been accused of sponsoring armed robbery by the Police under the directives of the Presidency.
“Similarly, on Saturday, June 2nd, 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.
“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.”