Date: 2018-05-29

A few weeks after receiving its protest letter, a delegation of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government is currently meeting with the New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) faction.

The APC delegation led by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is currently holding talks with the nPDP delegation led by the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, in Akinnola Aguda House.

In the federal government delegation are the Deputy Chairman of the APC Lawal Shuaib, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami, Deputy Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Ade Ipaye and the National Security Adviser Babagana Monguno.

On the nPDP side are the Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Governor of Sokoto State Aminu Tambuwal, leader of the nPDP Kawu Baraje and Kwara State Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed.

Others on the nPDP delegation are former Kano governor Rabui Musa Kwakwanso, former governor of Adamawa State Murtala Nyako, a former leader of the PDP Barnabas Gemade, former governor of Gombe State Danjuma Goje and other House of Representatives members.

Three weeks ago, the nPDP members issued a seven-day ultimatum, asking the party to address their complaints of marginalisation.

Their letter, which was addressed to the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, was signed by Baraje, former National Chairman of the former PDP bloc and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the group's former National Secretary.

Both signatories are known to be lukewarm to the alliance put together in 2014, with Oyinlola openly rejecting a board appointment and teaming up with Olusegun Obasanjo's national coalition movement and Baraje being accused by APC members in Kwara State of being anti-Buhari.

With the tone of the letter, the political bloc may just be preparing the ground to break away.

The group accused the ruling APC of marginalising its members in cabinet positions, board appointments and working to block the emergence of Yakubu Dogara and Bukola Saraki as speaker and Senate president in 2015.

The group also listed five other sins committed against them by the APC, among them the lack of consultation of their members in decision making and the harassment of their members, which was not substantiated.

They thus gave Odigie-Oyegun seven days to respond and arrange a meeting.

"Given the constraining factor of available time and in the interest of our great party, it is strongly advised that the said urgent meeting be held not later than seven (7) days from the date of the receipt of this letter," the letter read.

However, after the expiration of their ultimatum, nothing was heard from either the APC or the nPDP as regards their next line of action, save for the leader of the nPDP to state that the faction was still part of the APC.

Since the issuance of the ultimatum, this is the first meeting that is being held. (NAN)