A meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and governors loyal to the Alhaji Abaubakar Kawu Baraje faction of the ruling Peoples Democratic party (PDP) is underway in Abuja.

Only three out of the seven governors of the faction known as New PDP are available for the meeting – Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, Alhaji Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and Alhaji Kwankwaso of Kano State.

“Yes, the meeting is ongoing,” a competent source told News Express.

The New PDP had sought to have the meeting postponed due to the non-availability of its National Chairman Baraje and four state governors who have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj but President Jonathan preferred otherwise. The meeting, at the First Lady’s Wing of the Aso Rock seat of power in Abuja, is a follow-up to the one held on September 15 that involved the seven New PDP governors.

Confirming that the meeting would hold, New PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said last night in a statement: “The National Chairman of PDP just called from Saudi Arabia around 9pm on 6^th October, 2013 to direct that the Governors and stakeholders of PDP under his administration that includes Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, Alh. Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Alh. Kwankwaso of Kano State who are yet to travel to Mecca should meet with the National Leader of our party and President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Dr Goodluck Jonathan by 9am on 7^th October, 2013 at the seat of power in Abuja to formally obtain permission from Mr. President to shift the meeting date to a more convenient date when all our leaders may have come back from performing the Hajj operation.

“Shifting the meeting to morning period is to allow the mentioned Governors apart from Gov Amaechi to travel to Mecca later in the day of 7^th October, 2013 for the Hajj operation. According to the National Chairman, Alh. Kawu Baraje, this step is borne out of the plea by President Jonathan and respect we have for his office.”

•Photo shows New PDP governors.

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