gbawẹ́e:
President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday had a closed-doors meeting with five Northern Peoples Democratic Party governors in a step towards resolving the crisis rocking the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

The meeting, which was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, had in attendance governors Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe) and Kashim Shettima (Borno).

The relationship between Nyako, Aliyu and Kwankwaso and the Presidency on one hand, and the PDP on the other hand, became strained when the governors supported the re-emergence of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum against Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State.

The northern governors have also been taking sides with Amaechi against the Presidency in the political crisis rocking Rivers.

Apart from paying Amaechi a solidarity visit in Port Harcourt, the state capital, they also met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta on July 20 to discuss issues believed to include the crisis in Rivers State and the PDP. Jonathan also had a separate meeting with former president Obasanjo in Abeokuta same day.

On Monday, the governors also met with former Heads of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar on the same issues in Minna, Niger State capital.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that the Saturday meeting of the governors and Jonathan was one of the outcomes of the consultations they had with the former leaders.

A presidency source said the governors would have met with the President alongside Abdusalami when the former military head of state visited Jonathan on Wednesday evening.

He said the meeting was however postponed because the initial time clashed with the expected arrival time of the President’s wife, Patience, who lost her foster mother, Mrs. Christy Oba.

It was not clear whether the formal military leader attended the Saturday meeting.

Although the agenda of the meeting which was held inside the official residence of the President was not made public, the source said it was a continuation of the governors consultation and intervention in the Rivers crisis.

Our correspondent further learnt that the five governors had earlier met at an undisclosed location within Abuja before moving to the Presidential Villa for the meeting that started at about noon and lasted about two hours.

At the meeting, which was the initiative of the President, it was learnt that the governors expressed their misgivings over the Rivers crisis and advised the President not to take sides.

The source who pleaded anonymity, said the governors also told the President that it was wrong for him to back the Jonah Jang-led faction of the NGF, instead of supporting the choice of the majority of the governors.

Besides, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that the governors also blamed the party’s National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, for the crises and demanded that he should be sacked.

“The President was told to support the chairman of the NGF, who is from his zone and who was elected by the majority of the governors.

“They also told him that he should realise that he came to office through election and not through endorsement, which Jang is claiming to have before the NGF election.

“They told the President pointedly that there was no way he could wash his hands off what is happening in both the NGF and Rivers State and that he must act as a leader.

“They said if he could do these three things, the tension in the country would be reduced drastically,” the source said.

The President was said to have denied his involvement in both the NGF and Rivers State crises and promised to find a solution to the challenges the party is facing.

Although there were rumours making the rounds that Amaechi also attended the meeting, the President’s spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, who confirmed the meeting of the Northern governors with the President, said the Rivers governor did not attend the meeting.

“There was no such meeting (between Amaechi and the President). I can confirm to you that he met with some governors but Amaechi was not one of them,” the presidential spokesman said.

http://www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-in-truce-meeting-with-five-governors/

abdulumah: Am sure GEJ have started loosing sleep because Amech ws beginning to gain populatity. He should have gone to Rivers state govt house to ask for forgiveness.UP amechi

abdulumah: Am sure GEJ have started loosing sleep because Amech ws beginning to gain populatity. He should have gone to Rivers state govt house to ask for forgiveness.UP amechi

Longeria: Quoting punch is like quoting trash, they're ashamed that the fire they along with their master Tinubu created is quenching abruptly.

jhydebaba: What about those who lost their precious lives in the crisis and those that sustained injuries Same noni.


I refuse to be used for political gains.

v love: FAKE NEWS

egift: Some of you are forming ignorance. Gov. Amaechi made it very clear he will go to Jonathan to officially tell him what is happening in Rivers State. Since the President as C-in-C is pretending not to notice.

Here is the video: watch 02.40 to 04.35 (especially on 03.48)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQpjCJbNOs8

MEGA-WATCH:
@Omonnaokada,God bless you for having the same view with me. I also want to remind us that it was not only Tinibu that flaws OBJ and his Abuja politicians,Orji Kalu also disgrace and called OBJ a currupt leader in many internationally media and OBJ and his Abuja politicians tried many times to impitch him but failed. Orji kalu later formed his party PPA which later produce the serving gorvernor of Abia state.
The president will never win this battle against Amechi,the worst that can happend is PDP loosing the state. If you believe am wrong please counter my view with facts and figures and remember,wishful thinking is never reality in political calculations.

Frankmishael:

U̶̲̥̅̊ better ƁƸ careful of ƔŮя words, don't talk 2 my governor like Τђåt pls

jhydebaba: What about those who lost their precious lives in the crisis and those that sustained injuries Same noni.


I refuse to be used for political gains.

Goddex: So, is Ameachi tired of granting interviews?
He should continue talking. He knows how to
talk and should keep talking.

I don't think the President met with him though.

wirinet: I have said it again and again, it will be very difficult for GEJ to win second term without Amaechi's support. Amaechi has 5 PDP governor upenly declaring support for him. He has the support of at least 19 governors on his side. GEJ can only be sure of about 6 PDP governors for now. There are some of uncommitted PDP governors who are just flowing along with GEJ. Governors determine to a large extent who becomes president in Nigeria. That is why the battles for the chairman of the governors forum is a do or die affair.

Jonathan has made Amaechi very popular and relevant, just like it was OBJ that made Tinubu politically relevant.

kasiem: the ngf supported sylva at the end what happened? abeg, orji and tinubu were able to survive obj cos they were not under the umbrella of pdp.

wirinet:

Orji was not under the umbrella? Are you sure you know Nigerian politics. Were Dariye, Ladoja, Daniels not under the umbrella? The only governor OBJ was able to deal with successfully was Alams. Even Fayose survived OBJ's onslaught.

Drsunnie: GEJ has proven to be a father , Amaechi is just an empty vessel .

abdulumah: Am sure GEJ have started loosing sleep because Amech ws beginning to gain populatity. He should have gone to Rivers state govt house to ask for forgiveness.UP amechi

wirinet:

Orji was not under the umbrella? Are you sure you know Nigerian politics. Were Dariye, Ladoja, Daniels not under the umbrella? The only governor OBJ was able to deal with successfully was Alams. Even Fayose survived OBJ's onslaught.

Myself2:

So who is now under whose onslaught,as far as I know,Amaechi is under nobody's onslaught
Your comparison is warped and full of half truths

kasiem: pls, was ppa an extension of pdp?

bankyblue: When all this political tout make peace, believe me, is to our
Own disadvantage. because that is when they will loot our money
Without anybody holding anybody, since they re all friends.

But when the situation remain like this, everybody will be watch
DOG, waiting for ur mistake to take u down.
By then, they will fall back to there people and even do more project
In other to get favor from us.

I pray the peace talk will hit the rock

0monnakoda: Tinubu is still standing.He is not only standing but he kicked out all of Obasanjo's SW stooges including his daughter and Bankole out of office. Trust me Obasanjo knows how to play this brute force game much better than GEJ(even witholding allocation) but he came to realise its limits. Other Nigerians should learn from the SW and stop this desperation to join any "winning" team by any means. What is more important is what Impact is GEJ making to Nigeria. Many of the problems were around before him but they are getting worse particularly security and unemployment.I cannot see any sign that things will change if that man is in power for 100 years . He is truly CLUELESS

There is a limit to how dictatorial a civilian President can be before he gets killed particularly one who is not a soldier(he seems to like military dress ) and from an ethnic minority.He is not in a position to intimidate anyone.The Amaechi saga is disappointing and sad because from all indications Amaechi was loyal to him but not a YESSMAN like those who appointed his wife Perm Sec. That should tell all of us what GEJ's weakness is ; His wife and their collective inferiority/insecurity which Pastor Bakare talked about . What are the symptoms ? the same as we saw with OBJ; intolerance and a tendency to surround oneself with sycophants and praise singers who do not tell you the truth. Nigeria is in trouble

0monnakoda: Tinubu is still standing.He is not only standing but he kicked out all of Obasanjo's SW stooges including his daughter and Bankole out of office. Trust me Obasanjo knows how to play this brute force game much better than GEJ(even witholding allocation) but he came to realise its limits. Other Nigerians should learn from the SW and stop this desperation to join any "winning" team by any means. What is more important is what Impact is GEJ making to Nigeria. Many of the problems were around before him but they are getting worse particularly security and unemployment.I cannot see any sign that things will change if that man is in power for 100 years . He is truly CLUELESS

There is a limit to how dictatorial a civilian President can be before he gets killed particularly one who is not a soldier(he seems to like military dress ) and from an ethnic minority.He is not in a position to intimidate anyone.The Amaechi saga is disappointing and sad because from all indications Amaechi was loyal to him but not a YESSMAN like those who appointed his wife Perm Sec. That should tell all of us what GEJ's weakness is ; His wife and their collective inferiority/insecurity which Pastor Bakare talked about . What are the symptoms ? the same as we saw with OBJ; intolerance and a tendency to surround oneself with sycophants and praise singers who do not tell you the truth. Nigeria is in trouble

wirinet:

Please highlight the half truths i stated.

wirinet:

Amaechi is not under onslaught by GEJ and his agents? What do you call the grounding of amaechi's plane after landing, then the refusal of the federal government to register the plane. What do you call the support GEJ and patience is giving to the G5 and wike against amaechi. Even patience has not even denied his grouse against Amaechi. What do you call the present lack of security cover for Amaechi and all his supporters.
.