Two Peoples Democratic Party governors who had defected to the All Progressives Congress made a surprise appearance at a peace meeting called by President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday.

The two governors are Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State and Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State.

Kwankwaso and Wamakko were driven into the premises of the First Lady Conference Hall, Presidential Villa venue of the meeting in the same car at about 9pm.

They arrived about an hour after one of the aggrieved PDP governors, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, arrived the venue.

Aliyu, and the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), were already seated at the venue when Kwankwaso and Wamakko arrived.

The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, who also arrived before them went to confer with the President inside his residence before joining them at the venue.

Jonathan and Vice -President Namadi Sambo arrived the venue at about 9.50pm.

At 10pm, other PDP governors who had earlier met at the Akwa Ibom State Governors Lodge in Asokoro arrived the venue of the meeting.

Those who arrived alongside the PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman, Godswill Akpabio, were the governors of Abia, Kebbi, Kogi, Katsina, Bauchi, Plateau, Enugu, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna and Taraba States.

Another aggrieved governor , Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, who has not declared for the APC, did not attend the meeting.

The meeting was still ongoing as of 10.20pm when this report was filed.

Jonathan had on Saturday boasted that the defection of five PDP governors to the APC would not affect the fortune of the ruling party in future elections.

In his first public reaction to the development , Jonathan said three of the five governors were still sitting “on the fence.”

The five governors are Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Abdulfatah Ahmed(Kwara), Wamakko, Murtala Nyako(Adamawa) and Kwankwaso.

Jonathan, spoke with some media houses before departing Paris for Abuja at the close of a two-day summit on peace and security in Africa, said as the governors had decided to leave, those still in the PDP would work harder to attract more supporters .

He said, “We want those governors to come back to the PDP, but in an event where some of them feel that it is better to stay outside, they can go and try.

“If they are leaving , we will work harder to make sure that we get more supporters so that at the end of the day, the equilibrium will be maintained. But I still believe that in Nigeria today, the PDP is still the party to beat.

“As they are leaving the ruling party to the opposition, there are other key political actors who are ready to come to the PDP. At the appropriate time, we will also receive them.”

Jonathan said the governors should not be under the illusion that all their supporters would join them in defecting to their new party.

While describing politics as dynamic, he said “a governor elected by the people must not see himself as a king’’ who could lord it over the electorate.

He said, “I was elected by Nigerians and I will not say because I am the President of Nigeria now, 100 per cent of Nigerians are for me and when I am moving to the left or right, I will be moving with the whole 100 per cent.

“Like the governor of a state, a faction of a state elected them by simple majority and you are declared as a governor. When you are moving, you should know that you are an individual; not all your supporters will want to move with you. They are not your employees and therefore some of them will stay.

“In some cases, the deputy governors in the states are saying that they are not ready to move. I have said that let us see how things will play out.

“However, in politics any party will want everybody in its camp and in the PDP, we want everybody.”

Despite the five governors’ open declaration for the APC, Jonathan said only two appeared that they had actually moved while others are still on the fence.

He however did not name the governors in the different categories.

Jonathan said,”They said they have some grievances with the party and some of them said they were going to leave. But so far, two have openly declared that they are not leaving the party and we are talking to them.

“Out of the remaining five, two appear that they have actually moved to the other political party while some are still on the fence. I believe in a couple of weeks, it will not be too long, it will be very clear whether they are leaving or not.’’

But Amaechi and Nyako faulted the President, saying the future will tell.

Amaechi, who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Chief Tony Okocha, stated that the impact of the governors’ defection would soon be obvious.

“ The governor will not controvert Mr. President. But let us watch and see. When you have 23 children and you lose five, it will impact on you, especially when you are losing them to your opponents and not to death,” he said.

Also, Nyako, through his Director of Press and Public Relations, Ahmed Sajoh, said “It is a pity that the President still thinks and feels that way. It is really a pity.”

The APC Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said the defection of the five governors was a tragedy to the PDP.

“Unless he(Jonathan) is planning to rig massively, the defection of the five governors is a tragedy to the PDP,” he added.

The APC spokesman said the statement by the President clearly showed that he had no regard for the rule of law, adding that it was very unpresidential.

He stated that the PDP would feel the impact of one governor much less five

A kindergarten President still talking naive

Kwankwaso is a traitor and brute. I am yet to know which side he is really on. He might be the PDP undercover agent to help destroy APC from within. Similar to what APC is doing to PDP with Amaechi.

@ LAI MOHAMED, or the defection of the 2 governors not 5 to APC is a calamity to APC ask ROCHAS."I d laf"
Shabi 3 governors don de attend PDP meetings!
AMEACHI is a lost and drowning soul, while NYAKO is a man who can never come to terms with the reality of a southern christian becoming president hence his aggression.
The rest of the governors will return to PDP and goodluck will win come 2015 without a gun-short.

GEJ made absolute sense . . . .Interesting twist for Kwankwaso and Wamakko to attend. The dubious two . . . .

These five are gradually losing relevance and Amaechi is becoming unpopular daily.

Bunch of confused vagabonds.

Omooba77:

..........................

The APC Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said the defection of the five governors was a tragedy to the PDP.

“Unless he(Jonathan) is planning to rig massively, the defection of the five governors is a tragedy to the PDP,” he added.


The APC spokesman said the statement by the President clearly showed that he had no regard for the rule of law, adding that it was very unpresidential.

He stated that the PDP would feel the impact of one governor much less five

I Read through the whole article, but I can't find anything GEJ said that shows his disregard for the rule of law.

This APC spokesman likes that word shaa, using it when it isn't relevant. Sometimes he talks like a robot.

NO LONG TIN:

I Read through the whole article, but I can't find anything GEJ said that shows his disregard for the rule of law.

This APC spokesman likes that word shaa, using it when it isn't relevant. Sometimes he talks like a robot.

So you read Lie Muhammed uninteresting babble . . .I just skipped his part cos i knew it will be useless

jmaine:

So you read Lie Muhammed uninteresting babble . . .I just skipped his part cos i knew it will be useless

I almost fell from the chair laughing.

I actually skipped as soon as I saw Lai.
I had to go back to read it when I saw No Long Tin's post.

jmaine:

So you read Lie Muhammed uninteresting babble . . .I just skipped his part cos i knew it will be useless

I guess we are many that do not read the "Big" mouth lie Mohammed speech or statement anymore. When reading any news item...I read even Tinubu Lie Mohammed's boss statement and other APC politician,but LIE MOHAMMED? I just skip the guy one time!!!
I think he is more of a clown now

TechWalker007:

I almost fell from the chair laughing.

I actually skipped as soon as I saw Lai.
I had to go back to read it when I saw No Long Tin's post.

Ozin:

I guess we are many that do not read the "Big" mouth lie Mohammed speech or statement anymore. When reading any news item...I read even Tinubu Lie Mohammed's boss statement and other APC politician,but LIE MOHAMMED? I just skip the guy one time!!!
I think he is more of a clown now

His notorious clownish utterances precede him . . . . So am not surprised

Ozin:

I guess we are many that do not read the "Big" mouth lie Mohammed speech or statement anymore. When reading any news item...I read even Tinubu Lie Mohammed's boss statement and other APC politician,but LIE MOHAMMED? I just skip the guy one time!!!
I think he is more of a clown now

Lwkmd!!!!! honestly me too, I don't read anytin from dat Dry Bonger Fish. . . Lie Bin Mohammed

ilugunboy: A kindergarten President still talking naive

www.nairaland.com/attachments/1449918__NG_20SOCHIMA20_NG____10_jpgdca012511fa5eb2b388076b3a0104127

It was to tell PGEJ that they have officially left PDP

www.punchng.com/news/pdp-crisis-jonathan-governors-meeting-end-in-stalemate/

Without PDP, these governors are nothing. I have said it earlier on this forum. Check my posts on G7 and their antics.

Amaechi is finished, with him is Murtala Nyako. They are both without political clout and followership in their respective states. The opposition against them is overwhelming.

In Adamawa state, the original APC members(Marwa and Gundiri) would have won Nyako. Now, should the PDP lure them to their fold, they would do it on a clean- slate.

In Niger, Aliyu is finished politically. He lost in 2007 and 2011 to the opposition. His acclaimed victory is dependent on the PDP and it's machinery.

In Sokoto, Bafarawa, Shagari, fmr minister of sports and others will chase Wammako out if they get the PDP's nod to do so. Tambuwal is an Abuja politician and will lose a re election to the House if he choses to come back. His alliance with Wammako is nothing to withstand the PDP.

In Kano; Kwankwaso is a red- capped clown. The same mistakes that cost him a re election in 2003, he has repeated. It has cost him the support of the people that matter, again.

Lamido is his own man and can give anyone a fight for his money.

Bukola Saraki is the driver behind Amaechi and Kwara state has been itching to align with their brothers in the south west. Kwara is an APC state and Saraki has been in control because of the PDP's machinery. He is scared of losing the state, so his courting the APC is a survival strategy. If the PDP machinery abandons him, Dele Belgore and Lai Mohammed will deal him a fatal political blow.

I think the APC showed their hand too early in the game. The PDP now know their strenght and weaknesses. To any discerning politician, APC is a newspaper giant and political lilliput. No wonder the PDP left them to play newspaper politics while concentrating on the real thing.

Tinubu need to do a lot in the days ahead. Let the APC give their ticket to a neutral candidate like Pat Utomi. A south southerner who is also an Igbo man. They would eat into the President's strongest base, while appealing to educated, professionals and enlinghtened. Spice the ticket up with a Shekarau in the north and President Jonathan would be in for it. If they chose to play the northern card, it would back-fire and GEJ would sail to victory.

utumunta: Without PDP, these governors are nothing. I have said it earlier on this forum. Check my posts on G7 and their antics.

Amaechi is finished, with him is Murtala Nyako. They are both without political clout and followership in their respective states. The opposition against them is overwhelming.

In Adamawa state, the original APC members(Marwa and Gundiri) would have won Nyako. Now, should the PDP lure them to their fold, they would do it on a clean- slate.

In Niger, Aliyu is finished politically. He lost in 2007 and 2011 to the opposition. His acclaimed victory is dependent on the PDP and it's machinery.

In Sokoto, Bafarawa, Shagari, fmr minister of sports and others will chase Wammako out if they get the PDP's nod to do so. Tambuwal is an Abuja politician and will lose a re election to the House if he choses to come back. His alliance with Wammako is nothing to withstand the PDP.

In Kano; Kwankwaso is a red- capped clown. The same mistakes that cost him a re election in 2003, he has repeated. It has cost him the support of the people that matter, again.

Lamido is his own man and can give anyone a fight for his money.

Bukola Saraki is the driver behind Amaechi and Kwara state has been itching to align with their brothers in the south west. Kwara is an APC state and Saraki has been in control because of the PDP's machinery. He is scared of losing the state, so his courting the APC is a survival strategy. If the PDP machinery abandons him, Dele Belgore and Lai Mohammed will deal him a fatal political blow.

I think the APC showed their hand too early in the game. The PDP now know their strenght and weaknesses. To any discerning politician, APC is a newspaper giant and political lilliput. No wonder the PDP left them to play newspaper politics while concentrating on the real thing.

Tinubu need to do a lot in the days ahead. Let the APC give their ticket to a neutral candidate like Pat Utomi. A south southerner who is also an Igbo man. They would eat into the President's strongest base, while appealing to educated, professionals and enlinghtened. Spice the ticket up with a Shekarau in the north and President Jonathan would be in for it. If they chose to play the northern card, it would back-fire and GEJ would sail to victory.

GBAM...!!!!

ANYBODY WHO THINKS GEJ WONT WIN IN 2015 IS CLOWN!

utumunta: Without PDP, these governors are nothing. I have said it earlier on this forum. Check my posts on G7 and their antics.

Amaechi is finished, with him is Murtala Nyako. They are both without political clout and followership in their respective states. The opposition against them is overwhelming.

In Adamawa state, the original APC members(Marwa and Gundiri) would have won Nyako. Now, should the PDP lure them to their fold, they would do it on a clean- slate.

In Niger, Aliyu is finished politically. He lost in 2007 and 2011 to the opposition. His acclaimed victory is dependent on the PDP and it's machinery.

In Sokoto, Bafarawa, Shagari, fmr minister of sports and others will chase Wammako out if they get the PDP's nod to do so. Tambuwal is an Abuja politician and will lose a re election to the House if he choses to come back. His alliance with Wammako is nothing to withstand the PDP.

In Kano; Kwankwaso is a red- capped clown. The same mistakes that cost him a re election in 2003, he has repeated. It has cost him the support of the people that matter, again.

Lamido is his own man and can give anyone a fight for his money.

Bukola Saraki is the driver behind Amaechi and Kwara state has been itching to align with their brothers in the south west. Kwara is an APC state and Saraki has been in control because of the PDP's machinery. He is scared of losing the state, so his courting the APC is a survival strategy. If the PDP machinery abandons him, Dele Belgore and Lai Mohammed will deal him a fatal political blow.

I think the APC showed their hand too early in the game. The PDP now know their strenght and weaknesses. To any discerning politician, APC is a newspaper giant and political lilliput. No wonder the PDP left them to play newspaper politics while concentrating on the real thing.

Tinubu need to do a lot in the days ahead. Let the APC give their ticket to a neutral candidate like Pat Utomi. A south southerner who is also an Igbo man. They would eat into the President's strongest base, while appealing to educated, professionals and enlinghtened. Spice the ticket up with a Shekarau in the north and President Jonathan would be in for it If they chose to play the northern card, it would back-fire and GEJ would sail to victory.

Bless you brother . . .The bold part is a double confirmation of your immense political acumen and intelligence. . . .Respect bruv. . . .

With a Pat Utomi on the ballot box . . .GEJ don enter am be that cos i will comfortably adopt him without blinks . . .

utumunta: Without PDP, these governors are nothing. I have said it earlier on this forum. Check my posts on G7 and their antics.

Amaechi is finished, with him is Murtala Nyako. They are both without political clout and followership in their respective states. The opposition against them is overwhelming.

In Adamawa state, the original APC members(Marwa and Gundiri) would have won Nyako. Now, should the PDP lure them to their fold, they would do it on a clean- slate.

In Niger, Aliyu is finished politically. He lost in 2007 and 2011 to the opposition. His acclaimed victory is dependent on the PDP and it's machinery.

In Sokoto, Bafarawa, Shagari, fmr minister of sports and others will chase Wammako out if they get the PDP's nod to do so. Tambuwal is an Abuja politician and will lose a re election to the House if he choses to come back. His alliance with Wammako is nothing to withstand the PDP.

In Kano; Kwankwaso is a red- capped clown. The same mistakes that cost him a re election in 2003, he has repeated. It has cost him the support of the people that matter, again.

Lamido is his own man and can give anyone a fight for his money.

Bukola Saraki is the driver behind Amaechi and Kwara state has been itching to align with their brothers in the south west. Kwara is an APC state and Saraki has been in control because of the PDP's machinery. He is scared of losing the state, so his courting the APC is a survival strategy. If the PDP machinery abandons him, Dele Belgore and Lai Mohammed will deal him a fatal political blow.

I think the APC showed their hand too early in the game. The PDP now know their strenght and weaknesses. To any discerning politician, APC is a newspaper giant and political lilliput. No wonder the PDP left them to play newspaper politics while concentrating on the real thing.

Tinubu need to do a lot in the days ahead. Let the APC give their ticket to a neutral candidate like Pat Utomi. A south southerner who is also an Igbo man. They would eat into the President's strongest base, while appealing to educated, professionals and enlinghtened. Spice the ticket up with a Shekarau in the north and President Jonathan would be in for it. If they chose to play the northern card, it would back-fire and GEJ would sail to victory.

you are a sage!

ojubi: @ LAI MOHAMED, or the defection of the 2 governors not 5 to APC is a calamity to APC ask ROCHAS."I d laf"
Shabi 3 governors don de attend PDP meetings!
AMEACHI is a lost and drowning soul, while NYAKO is a man who can never come to terms with the reality of a southern christian becoming president hence his aggression.
The rest of the governors will return to PDP and goodluck will win come 2015 without a gun-short.

I pity Amaechi

jmaine:

Bless you brother . . .The bold part is a double confirmation of your immense political acumen and intelligence. . . .Respect bruv. . . .

With a Pat Utomi on the ballot box . . .GEJ don enter am be that cos i will comfortably adopt him without blinks . . .

its a BIG NO to anything APC.




GEJ till 2019

NO LONG TIN:

I Read through the whole article, but I can't find anything GEJ said that shows his disregard for the rule of law.

This APC spokesman likes that word shaa, using it when it isn't relevant. Sometimes he talks like a robot.

ROBOT!!! Hahahahahaha guy u harsh o. One funny thing I noticed " if the president is wrong or wright, they always fault him" I tire for 9ja type of opposition o

emmydeep:
Atleast he is million times beter than your father in every aspect. You are = APC e-rat.

captainbraide:
na your papa be kindergaten
na your papa be kindergaten

The two of you are not the type we want in this community....you simply lack manners and break forum rules.

Enjoy your ban.

Everything abt Lie Mohammed is a LIE

barcanista: its a BIG NO to anything APC.




GEJ till 2019

You never can tell . . .I might just look at Pat Utomi and say well. . . .Have my vote. . .

Amaechi shld hurry up n leave d office wit pride, d political drama iz 2much, we r d suffering 4rm diz political Crinkum crankum, political higi haga... Tot PHC would match Lag in terms of development buh 2day PHC iz an eyesore. *drives out*

utumunta: Without PDP, these governors are nothing. I have said it earlier on this forum. Check my posts on G7 and their antics.

Amaechi is finished, with him is Murtala Nyako. They are both without political clout and followership in their respective states. The opposition against them is overwhelming.

In Adamawa state, the original APC members(Marwa and Gundiri) would have won Nyako. Now, should the PDP lure them to their fold, they would do it on a clean- slate.

In Niger, Aliyu is finished politically. He lost in 2007 and 2011 to the opposition. His acclaimed victory is dependent on the PDP and it's machinery.

In Sokoto, Bafarawa, Shagari, fmr minister of sports and others will chase Wammako out if they get the PDP's nod to do so. Tambuwal is an Abuja politician and will lose a re election to the House if he choses to come back. His alliance with Wammako is nothing to withstand the PDP.

In Kano; Kwankwaso is a red- capped clown. The same mistakes that cost him a re election in 2003, he has repeated. It has cost him the support of the people that matter, again.

Lamido is his own man and can give anyone a fight for his money.

Bukola Saraki is the driver behind Amaechi and Kwara state has been itching to align with their brothers in the south west. Kwara is an APC state and Saraki has been in control because of the PDP's machinery. He is scared of losing the state, so his courting the APC is a survival strategy. If the PDP machinery abandons him, Dele Belgore and Lai Mohammed will deal him a fatal political blow.

I think the APC showed their hand too early in the game. The PDP now know their strenght and weaknesses. To any discerning politician, APC is a newspaper giant and political lilliput. No wonder the PDP left them to play newspaper politics while concentrating on the real thing.

Tinubu need to do a lot in the days ahead. Let the APC give their ticket to a neutral candidate like Pat Utomi. A south southerner who is also an Igbo man. They would eat into the President's strongest base, while appealing to educated, professionals and enlinghtened. Spice the ticket up with a Shekarau in the north and President Jonathan would be in for it. If they chose to play the northern card, it would back-fire and GEJ would sail to victory.

My only doubt is that the core North may not support Utomi.
I do not think they really care about the intellectual prowess of the candidates but their Born-2-rule crusaders.
I might be wrong but I observed that the true elites and intellectual giants of the North have little or no influence in what happens there.

That's why folks like Ribadu command more respect in the SS/SE/SW than he does in his own state Adamawa.

jmaine:

Bless you brother . . .The bold part is a double confirmation of your immense political acumen and intelligence. . . .Respect bruv. . . .

With a Pat Utomi on the ballot box . . .GEJ don enter am be that cos i will comfortably adopt him without blinks . . .

@Utumuntu u are very one point, but d problem is that APC will never choose a non muslim, anybody from south or east except north, so APC will find it very difficult to win presidential election.