by Sufuyan Ojeifo & Emmanuel Bello / 2006-01-27

But there were indications that many of the state governors did not come for the meeting because of the confusion over the meeting’s agenda and the tension generated by its linkage with the third term project.

It was learnt that the governors are divided over the third term project and those who support the project are being cautious of possible isolation by the anti-third term governors.

Reports have it that the National Working Committee (NWC), would meet with the state governors over issues bordering on the consti-tution’s amendment and the third term project.

In a swift riposte, the national publicity secretary of the party, Mr. John Odey, clarified Wednesday, that the meeting has nothing to do with the third term project, but was called to discuss “party activities” with the governors.

No governor came for the meeting. Three state governors sent their deputies to represent them at the meeting, which was scheduled for the national headquarters of the party at Wadata Plaza, Wuse, Zone 5, Abuja.

They included deputy governors of Taraba, Kaduna and Kwara, Armayau Dauda Abubakar, Patrick Yakowa and Joel Afolabi Ogundeji, respectively.

Briefing newsmen on the development, deputy national chairman (North), Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, said the meeting was scheduled to “highlight activities of the party for the year, especially the registration exercise which has already been extended”.

He said the meeting was put off due to the extension of the membership revalidation taking place in all states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Alhaji Shema also said that the party discovered that the letters inviting the governors for the meeting got to them late, thus making it impossible for those of them who would have come inspite of the membership revalidation to honour the invitation.

According to him, “we sent letters out to that effect, but unfortunately, some of the governors could not get their letters until late yesterday (Wednesday)”.

He expressed the party’s apology to the governors for the inconveniences the postponement of the meeting might have caused them.
There have been a number of secret meetings by governors at different levels and at different locations nationwide in the last one week on how to either push through the third term project or scuttle it.

Pro and anti-third term governors have, as learnt, launched into a battle of wits over the issue. The Northern governors are meeting today in Kaduna to discuss the issue of constitution amendment and the third term project with a view to take a formal position on them.
Meanwhile, a Daily Trust investigation revealed that although most of the governors were in Abuja, they chose to send their aides to the PDP national secretariat “to find out what is happening. They wanted to know which governor was in attendance but when they were told that no governor was coming, they decided to stay away,” a source revealed.
The source also said that some of the governors were displeased with the handling of the revalidation exercise in which most of them have been excluded. He said that the registration cards are presently with the national chairman of the party, Col. Ahmadu Ali (rtd) and alleged that governors received only a limited number.

Furthermore on the governors reluctance to attend the event, sources said that some of the governors do not want to be associated with the third term plot which was alleged to be the original agenda of the meeting but was shelved when it became obvious that it will generate some heat.

But Alhaji Ibrahim Shema refuted the rumour and maintained that the meeting was only postponed because of the “confusion of activities” embarked on by the party. He told Daily Trust that the absence of the national chairman of the party and Chief Bode George also led to the shift in date. Col. Ahmadu Ali is said to be abroad to attend to the medical needs of a family member.

On the revalidation exercise, Alhaji Shema explained that no state of the federation has been shortchanged as they have all been given a hundred thousand cards. He said that the party printed 10 million cards initially and is monitoring their distribution in states to ensure fairness and equity in the exercise.