Former members of the new peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, in the All Progressives Congress, APC, will today announce their exit from the ruling party.
A source close to one of the top nPDP stalwarts gave DAILY POST the hint Wednesday afternoon.
A venue in Abuja, the nation’s capital, has been picked for the gathering that will herald the declaration.
Our correspondent learnt that some of the party chieftains are converging at a location and will move to the venue in a convoy.
Spokesman of the nPDP, Abubakar Kawu Baraje, is expected to make the official announcement via a prepared speech.
Although Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara are members of the bloc, they are not likely to attend.
The nPDP had put its negotiations with the presidency on hold after what it described as a government-sponsored onslaught against Saraki, Dogara and others.
A recent statement signed by Baraje read in part: “While we are truly and earnestly committed to achieving reconciliation, harmony, truce and cohesion in the APC as we approach the 2019 general elections, it appears that the Presidency is not interested in the talks and that they may have been negotiating in bad faith.
“We were alarmed that immediately after our meeting with the Vice President last week, the presidency misrepresented what transpired at the meeting by trying to blackmail some of the principal actors involved in the discussions in a national daily.
“Similarly, the leadership of the party (APC) went ahead to ratify all the Congresses from ward, local governments, states and zonal where many of our members have complaints, effectively presenting us with a fait accompli.
“The persecution of our members using state security apparatus have continued unabated.
“We recognize the powers of the Police to conduct criminal investigations but by rushing to the public with the issue even when they have unfettered access to the leadership of the National Assembly suggests an attempt to undermine, caricature and humiliate the institution of the legislature.
“It appears that there is a fouled and toxic atmosphere and environment of intimidation and threat to life in which we now find ourselves which may no longer be conducive for members of the former nPDP to continue with the talks.
“The nPDP leadership has decided to brief our members on the unfortunate development and get a fresh mandate if good faith returns to the discussions.”
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