Thursday, 07 April 2011 00:00

http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16267:jonathan-meets-30-parties-excludes-acn-cpc-anpp&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

President Goodluck Jonathan and leaders of the People‘s Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday met with the leadership of over 40 opposition political parties ahead of Saturday’s rescheduled National Assembly elections and sought their support during the election, especially if INEC fails to live up to expectations. The meeting, which was held at the Legacy House between 11am and 1pm, however, excluded some of the foremost opposition parties including the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Labour Party. It was also attended by Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, acting national chairman of the PDP Dr. Bello Haliru, members of the National Working Committee and some party chieftains including Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.


After the Legacy House session, the opposition politicians retired to Denise Hotel in Wuse Area of Abuja where they met and shared some logistics. When Daily Trust visited the hotel at 7pm, the meeting was not over but few participants, who refused to talk to the press, were sighted streaming out of the hotel with some consignments.

Sources at the meeting said the PDP leaders expressed disappointment at the behaviour of the leadership of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) which is why it resorted to dealing with the parties directly to establish some level of understanding in the weeks ahead. IPAC had recently expressed support for INEC and called for understanding from Nigerians.

The source, however said “we understand they want us to help them cause confusion during the election but some of us are not ready to go along, God knows that,” he said, stressing that the party leaders were cautious because they did not trust some of those at the meeting.

When asked whether the CPC had received any invitation, National Secretary of the party Buba Galadima said though he was aware of the meeting, he was not expecting an invitation in the first place.

“You should know that Jonathan cannot invite CPC for any attempt that will sabotage democracy. It is true today (Wednesday) he invited some political parties around 11am. Jonathan, Namadi and PDP chairman Dr. Bello Muhammad, invited all the political parties, those registered by PDP, not opposition parties, seeking for their support in crippling democracy in Nigeria,” Galadima said.

However, running mate of the National Conscience Party presidential candidate, Dr Yunus Tanko, who spoke to Daily Trust on phone, said the PDP leaders sought the support of the opposition parties in mobilising people to come out in all the elections in the next three weeks. He said the parties will address a joint press conference today to call on voters not to be discouraged by last week’s unfortunate postponement of the National Assembly polls. He however denied knowledge of any move to get the parties stand up against INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega, saying his party had already expressed support to INEC.

Why will they call heir arch rivals who are truly out to kick them out of office? Most of those other parties don't even have local govt. chairmen. They are beggars, beggars, beggars