nPDP: We're Not Aware of Presidency's Position, Says Frank ...Oyegun: Its mere speculation

The new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), a political bloc within the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Tuesday said its members are not aware of any decision by the presidency to ignore their complaints.

Also the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, dismissed the report as mere speculation.

There were speculations in the media yesterday that President Muhammadu Buhari may have decided to call the bluff of members of the nPDP over their threat to leave the APC.

The Chairman of the nPDP bloc, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, had earlier stated that the group could no longer continue negotiations in a "fouled and toxic atmosphere and environment of intimidation and threat to life."

Since the breakdown in talks between nPDP and the presidency, there have been speculations that both sides had taken hard line positions and that peace talks were no longer possible.

However, an outspoken member of the aggrieved nPDP group and the outgoing Deputy National Publicity Secretary of APC, Timi Frank, said the group had been officially communicated with by the presidency regarding the talks.

Frank, who was reacting to media report on alleged hard line position by President Buhari, said: "There is nothing official; nobody has reached out to us. We don't know the presidency position and there was no briefing on it.

"For our group, we are very firm, united and confident that anywhere we go that is where the presidency will go because we know we have the right leadership and numbers to swing victory to whichever place we go.

"Nobody can call our bluff but if the presidency decides to do that, so be it. For us, our resolve is unshakeable and we still stand by whatever position we have taken."

On whether the group have been meeting to consider fresh options, Frank said: "We have been meeting to take decisions and in the not too long a time, our decision will be made known to Nigerians.

He said the group had been strategising, assuring Nigerians that they would soon take positions that would benefit Nigerians and take them out of the present darkness that they are in.

"I can confidently tell you that we have the numbers that can shake the party if they want us to do so," he said.

On the forthcoming convention, Frank said the nPDP group will attend the event since they are still members of the party, saying at the end of the day, if they are not comfortable with the process, then they will meet to take a position.

The national chairman of APC, Oyegun has dismissed the report of the presidency calling the bluff of nPDP group, describing it as lacking in substance.

Oyegun, who spoke to journalists on telephone Tuesday, said he was very sure that the view ascribed to the presidency was speculative.

"I read the story and it was clear to me that it was pure speculation. Absolutely, it has no substance," he said.

While giving update on the state of the engagement with the nPDP, another APC chieftain, who said he was privy to happenings since the day nPDP called off their talks with presidency and APC, explained that the party is still ready to negotiate with the aggrieved group notwithstanding the temporary setback.

"As far as I know, they told us they are making further consultations before they would get back to us," he said.