Following persecution of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and withdrawal of security aides of the principal officers of the National Assembly, the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) has suspended reconciliation talks with the presidency and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The nPDP said it was also angered by the decision of the APC leadership to go ahead with the ratification of all the Congresses from ward, local governments, states and zones where many of its members had complaints.
It alleged that the Presidency was not interested in the talks and might have been negotiating in bad faith.
It described the prevailing political environment in the country as “fouled and toxic.”
“Based on the alleged infractions, the nPDP said it might not be available for talks unless good faith returns to the discussions.
The scheduled session of all the parties in Abuja on Monday was aborted because of the protest
The decision of the nPDP was contained in a statement issued by its chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje.
The statement said: “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 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 nPDP said it was unfortunate that its members were being persecuted with state security apparatchik.
It faulted the implication of Saraki and Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, in the armed robbery attack in Offa.
The statement added: “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.”
