Members of the National Expanded Caucus
of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) met in
Abuja on Monday night and vowed to
rebuild the party ahead of the 2019
elections, saying that there was the need to
rebuild the party in order to accommodate
those that would be joining it from other
political parties.
According to Punch newspaper, the meeting
was one out of the three to be held by three
different organs of the party as its prepares
to fix a date for its national convention.
It was the first gathering of members of the
party since the Supreme Court sacked the
Senator Ali Modu Sheriff-led national
working committee on Wednesday.
Some leaders of the party, who spoke at the
Monday’s meeting included the Chairman of
the party’s National Caretaker Committee,
Makarfi; former President Goodluck
Jonathan; and the Governor of Ekiti State
and Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum,
Mr. Ayodele Fayose.
Jonathan told the gathering, which included
Deputy President of the Senate, Ike
Ekweremadu; a former President of the
Senate, David Mark; and governors of Rivers,
Taraba, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Gombe states that
a strong party would attract the people.
Jonathan said, “First thing to do is to build
the party because a strong party is the key
to expansion. A strong party acts like a
magnet and will attract all the people.
Nigerians still believe in the PDP. So many
people including non-politicians were happy
at the PDP victory in Supreme Court.”
The former President insisted that the PDP
remains what he described as the largest
party that could unite the country.
He described Monday as a day of joy, adding
that his presence was to appreciate
members of the PDP, adding that the party
passed through some challenges and came
out of them peacefully.
Jonathan commended the members of the
NCC who he said remained resolute by
standing through the storm, and also
commended the youths who used the social
media to promote the ideals of the party.
In his remarks, Makarfi commended the
members of the party for “being unyielding
in their faith on the judicial system”, and
said members of other political parties were
already planning to defect to the PDP, but
said he would not mention their names and
where they would be coming from.
“This hall will not contain us by the time they
start to come back to the PDP. I will not tell
you who they are or where they are,” the
former governor of Kaduna State said.
Also speaking at the meeting, Fayose said
that the APC must die in order for the PDP to
live. He appealed to members of the party to
go back to their states and regain the
confidence of their constituencies ahead of
the 2019 general elections.
He said, “The APC must die so that the PDP
can rise. Old change will give way for a new
change. Now the coast is clear, all the party
leaders should go home and work for the
PDP.
“If this party must win, get Nigerians’
confidence restored, our leaders must go
home to boost the party. If this party must
return to power, we need to get the
confidence of Nigerians.”
The meeting was well attended by senators,
members of the House of Representatives,
some former national officers of the party
and former governors.
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