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ANPP crisis: Governors,
Aikhomu endorse Etiebet
By Chuks
Ehirim,
correspondent,
Abuja
The crisis
in the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) is gradually coming to an end
though some of the party�s governors are bent on defecting to the ruling
People�s Democratic Party (PDP).
Signs that
problems in the party were coming to an end emerged on Sunday, after
Saturday�s late night meeting between five of the governors, the deputy
governor of Kano State and Admiral Augustus Aikhomu, chairman of the
Party�s Board of Trustees. It was resolved at the meeting that the status
quo ante before crisis erupted in the party, should be
maintained.
Briefing
journalists on the outcome of the meeting held at the Jigawa State
Governor�s lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, Aikhomu said, �All organs of the party
are to remain intact in accordance with the National Caucus resolution of
September 8th, and are to continue to discharge their constitutional
duties without let or hindrance from any quarters�.
He added
that the party�s Board of Trustees would meet immediately to look into the
state of the party. It would also look into the grievances from all
quarters in the party, in accordance with the provisions of the
constitution of the party.
The meeting
also agreed that the next meetings of the party�s National Caucus as well
as that of the National Executive Committee (NEC) would hold in Borno
State capital, Maiduguri on November 26 and 27, 2004,
respectively.
Aikhomu
also appealed to party members on both divides to cease their squabbles
forthwith. �I take this opportunity to appeal to all our members that
bickering and unnecessary struggles should stop forthwith�, he
said.
He equally
appealed to the media to stop promoting the crisis in the party but to
join hands with the party organs to find lasting solution to the
intra-party feud.
Also
speaking at the occasion, Alhaji Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Governor of Yobe
State, who stood in for his colleagues said that decisions taken at the
meeting which lasted till 5 am on Sunday, were unanimously endorsed by all
the five governors and the deputy governor from Kano State, who were
present.
He said
that none of the governors could go against the decisions taken at the
meeting. �I don�t believe that after this, any governor will come out to
disagree with anything that is said here�, Ibrahim added.
According
to him, apart from Governor Saminu Turaki of Jigawa State or his deputy
who did not attend the meeting, all the five governors and deputy governor
of Kano State agreed on this issue, with Admiral Aikhomu. There was not a
single dissenting voice. I don�t expect any of our colleagues to come out
and say anything to the contrary�, he said.
The
decisions have further diminished the chances of the faction led by Lt.
Gen. Jerry Useni (rtd.) who was made the ANPP�s Acting National Chairman
by those controlled by Attahiru Bafarawa, Governor of Sokoto
State.
The
decision to take the NEC meeting to Maiduguri, instead of Birni Kebbi is
also seen as a move to deny Bafarawa of any influence in the
party.
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