Seven governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, including the embattled Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, met President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja on Tuesday. Sylva was edged out of the partys governorship primaries, which was held in Yenagoa, the state capital on Saturday. The meeting with Jonathan, which was at the State House, failed to produce any positive result, going by the countenance of the governors after the meeting. Apart from Sylva, others in attendance were Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Jonah Jang (Plateau), Liyel Imoke (Cross River); Ahmed Abdulfatai (Kwara); Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi); and Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State.Sylva and Imoke were the first set of governors to come out of the meeting and went to a corner to have a private discussion. Few minutes later, other governors came out but instead of leaving, they broke into groups apparently to discuss their encounter with the President in hushed tones.Speaking to the State House correspondents on the outcome of the meeting, Sylva said, "My chairman (Amaechi) will speak to you. "I think my chairman will tell you that (about Bayelsa). He is the only one authorised to talk to you." But when reporters approached Amaechi, he also declined to speak, but referred them to Lamido.While pressing him to speak, the following conversation ensued between Amaechi and the reporters:Correspondents: What are you here for' Amaechi: Dont I have the right to visit the President' Correspondents: Did you meet with the President to discuss Governor Sylvas issue'Amaechi: Im not aware of that. Dont interview me because I dont know what you are talking about.Correspondents: What are you here for then'Amaechi: To see the President about Rivers State.Correspondents: And you came with your counterparts from other states'Amaechi: They came to see the President on their own state matters.Correspondents: What is so pressing that all of you came together'Amaechi: We didnt come together, we came differently.Correspondents: What did you discuss with the President'Amaechi: Why should I tell you about what I came to discuss about Rivers State'Sylva has been having a running battle with the leadership of the PDP as a result of his disqualification to run for the primaries of the PDP in Bayelsa State.Efforts made by other governors to sway the leadership of the party and clear him were rebuffed as the party went ahead with the governors disqualification.
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