APC faction cancels dialogue with FG over withdrawal of Saraki, Dogara security aides

The development was in protest of the withdrawal of security operatives assigned to the Senate President Bukola Sarakiand the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

nPDP is a bloc of former members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who defected to the APC ahead of the 2015 election - both Saraki and Dogara are members of the aggrieved group.

The bloc had threatened to pull out of the APC if the party's internal crisis was not addressed in a way that would be fair to all concerned. They were in talks with the leadership of the ruling party to avoid a mass defection before the latest incident.

In a statement issued on Monday June 4, leader of the nPDP faction, Kawu Baraje, accused the Buhari administration of being insincere.

Baraje said presidency is playing games with nPDP despite the group's commitment to "achieving reconciliation, harmony, truce and cohesion in the APC".

ALSO READ: Offa Robbery - Suspects name Saraki, Kwara Gov as sponsors

He noted the police invitation of Saraki for questioning in a case of armed robbery and murder as among indicators that the Buhari government is not faithful to the dialogue.

DSS operatives withdrawn

On Sunday, June 3, the Department of State Service (DSS) reportedly withdrew some of its operatives assigned to Saraki and Dogara.

The directive was said to have been issued from the agency's headquarters with an order that it should be carried out with immediate effect.

Read full nPDP statement below:

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.

ALSO READ: All you need to know about Saraki's police invitation

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.

Thank you.

Signed

Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, CON