Update: Obasanjo in closed-door meeting with PDP G-7 governors

• Group hopes to speak with President Jonathan soon

Less than 12 hours after their meeting was disrupted by police officers in Abuja, five of the seven aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were, on Monday, in a closed door meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The governors travelled from Abuja to Abeokuta through Lagos to meet with the former president at his Presidential Boulevard home in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The governors at the meting include Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa). They were the same governors who, alongside other leaders of the PDP faction, were prevented from meeting in Abuja on Sunday night by policemen whose leader allegedly said they acted on the orders from above.

The governors arrived at Mr. Obasanjo’s home in an unmarked SUV driven by Mr. Amaechi.

PREMIUM TIMES observed that the governors were escorted by a limited number of security personnel, believed to have been provided by a the governor of a neighbouring state.

It was earlier speculated that the flight of the governors to Lagos had been cancelled, and therefore the proposed meeting with Mr. Obasanjo was no longer feasible.

However, the governors were said to have re-strategised and found an alternative means to the former president’s home.

The governors, on arrival, were welcomed by Mr. Obasanjo who ushered them into the closed-door meeting that lasted hours.

All parties later came out smiling to address waiting journalists with the Niger governor appointed to address reporters.

Responding to questions from the journalists, Mr. Babangida said the visit was part of consultations embarked on by the governors after the crisis in the PDP started and the formation of their faction tagged the New PDP.

“We are here as part of our consultation. If you recall, when the issue started, we consulted with some of our elders and this is part of the consultation. More so, we are coming to the resolution of the matters. We believe that very soon, we will be discussing with the president,” he said.

The five governors, as well as those of Kwara and Sokoto, are members of the Abubakar Baraje-led faction of the PDP that is opposed to Bamanga Tukur as the national chairman of the ruling party. The faction is also opposed to the re-election plan of President Goodluck Jonathan.