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We are not dumping APC——Baraje
President Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje recently
Alhaji Kawu Baraje, leader of the new Peoples’ Democratic Party (nPDP) which fused into the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the group will remain in the party.
He stated this on Monday in Abuja while speaking with newsmen after a closed door meeting with the APC National Working Committee (NWC).
It may be recalled that the Kawu Baraje-led nPDP recently submitted a four page grievances letter to the APC leadership.
The group, in the letter, alleged that its members had been badly treated, sidelined and persecuted.
“As you are aware, we requested to see the party, and the party, very sensitive and responsible party, responded to our requests adequately and we think it is a very encouraging time,” he said.
Baraje explained that the APC leadership got across to the group last week, asking for a meeting which could not hold because of some logistics.
“We couldn’t come until today, we begged the party to shift the day till today and today we have seen our party.
“We are party members, this office is ours, we have only come home to discuss those observations, the meeting was very beautiful,” he said.
Baraje, however, said that observations raised by the group was being looked into by the APC leadership, adding that the discussions would continue.
“When talks begin, you can’t say it will end on a particular day, it goes on and on.
“It may please the party to say let’s shift the meeting to another venue to discuss with other stakeholders, so far, we have started talks.
“But it is a good start, it is a good beginning,” he stressed.
Baraji, while responding to the splinter nPDP that recently countered their petition, said such was bound to happen in politics, adding that the group he represented was 95.9 percent intact.
He debunked media reports that his group earlier threatened the APC leadership with a seven- day ultimatum within which it must meet its demands.
He further explained that the group only suggested that there was need for the APC leadership to attend to its petition within seven days having in mind the party’s congresses and National Convention.
The APC Deputy National Chairman, Sen. Shuaibu Lawal, who led other NWC members to the meeting said the party was taking the group’s observations and disaffections seriously.
“We have not yet resolved, they wrote to us, they are party men, they have grievances, we looked at the letter, their grievances are genuine.
“And they requested a meeting within seven days and before the seven days expired, I called them and they were not ready to come.
“They said we should shift the meeting to today, which we did,” Shuaibu, who stood in for the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigi-Oyegun, said.
He added that the APC leadership would not ignore the group but would continue to listen to it and also take its matter serious with a view to addressing them.
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