President Muhammadu Buhari has called the bluff of the new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Recall that the bloc pulled out of the PDP to team up with the APC in the build-up to the 2015 general election.
The nPDP members are said to be aggrieved and had demanded to meet the president to discuss some pressing issues.
But a presidential source told reporters that the president has vowed never to sit down for a discussion with the aggrieved members.
The president made his stance known to governors elected on the platform of the APC when he met them recently, the source revealed.
“The president told the governors as well as national leaders of the party pointedly to resolve the issues,” the source said.
But the president said the issue was a party matter and he was not ready to sit with any faction.
“It is a party matter. I am not ready to sit down with any faction. If they have problems, they should go to the party. I will not interfere,” Buhari was quoted to have said.
“Governors as party leaders in the states should deal with all issues. Where there is a need, the party leadership can come in. I will not get involved.”
A report states President Buhari was said to have commended an earlier meeting with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and gave his nod that the discussion should continue.
However, it was gathered that opinions on the issue were divided among the governors that attended the meeting with the president.
“Some hardline governors asked the President to ignore the nPDP while the majority felt the party and the VP should continue to talk to them,” the source explained.
It was also reported last week that Kawu Baraje, leader of the nPDP, said the group would take a decision if the APC calls its bluff.
Baraje had led the bloc to meetings with the national working committee of the APC and Osinbajo.
But follow-up meeting did not hold in protest of alleged harassment of Senate President Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the House of Representatives, who are members of nPDP.
Baraje reportedly kicked against the withdrawal of some of the security aides of the national assembly leaders, last month.
The security aides were later reinstated.
Speculations in political space indicate the nPDP may pull out of the ruling party if fences are not mended before the next general elections in 2019.
