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Atiku, Wike Can’t Hold Talks In Absence Of PDP Leaders – Lamido

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No Matter How Dirty PDP Is, It's A Better Evil Than APC - Sule Lamido
Former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido
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Nigeria’s former Foreign Affairs Minister, Sule Lamido has argued that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, cannot hold any political talks with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, in the absence of party stakeholders.

The Jigawa State former governor said the duo can have personnel meetings but cannot speak about events from the party’s national convention without party leadership involvement, Naija News reports.

According to Lamido, Atiku lacked the authority to discuss the outcome of the PDP convention which had polarised the party between him and Governor Wike.

Lamido, while reacting to the recent meeting between Atiku and Wike at the residence of a former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Prof Jerry Gana, said as a candidate produced by the party through a convention, the presidential candidate lacked the authority to speak on it and embark on any reconciliatory agreement.

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He said, “I have no idea about the discussion between Wike, Atiku and Jerry Gana as individuals, I’ve no idea. To me, it is not a party meeting, get it very clear. It could be anything but not a party meeting. They can reconvene and talk in Jerry Gana’s house.

“Whatever issues they discussed is simply within themselves and have no bearing on the party because it was the party that produced Atiku and therefore being a creation of a process that is very transparent in what is called the convention, he is owned by the convention, he is owned by the party.”

Lamido said the presidential hopeful is free to hold meetings in his own perspective as a person with anyone in Nigeria but that he cannot go outside and talk about the party.

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“Anything about PDP that is political should be handled politically and it’s the party that should talk and not Atiku,” Lamido said.

The former governor stressed that “When it’s an issue about the party, it’s the PDP that should be talking and not Atiku, Wike or anybody else. Whatever they discussed is purely within themselves. But anything about the party, in terms of positions and policy, Atiku has no authority to go there and talk on behalf of the party. Or whatever he discussed there (in Jerry Gana’s house) is not going to get to the party.

“Atiku can meet anybody in Nigeria and talk to him, I’ve no problem. But if he’s going to talk about the outcome of the convention, he has no authority to go there and discuss it on his own because he’s the creation of the convention and it’s the party that should talk for him.

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“Atiku cannot go into agreement with anybody without the party agreeing; he cannot do that. So, whatever Atiku, Jerry Gana and Wike discussed should be seen as discussions among friends and individuals and for their common interest.

“But when the issue is about PDP and outcome of the PDP convention, Atiku has no authority to go there and talk on behalf of the PDP. It’s the party that should talk through it’s chairman which is the only organ, lead in PDP, guide in PDP and symbol of the PDP.

“Atiku is the candidate of the PDP, he’s not on his own and so, he’s not there in a very abstract way. He’s owned by the PDP.”