PDP Moves To Retake Power In 2019, Committee To Reposition And Rebrand Party Underway

BEVERLY HILLS, April 22, (THEWILL) – A committee to reposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following its not-too-impressive showing in the recently-held general elections is underway. This is in a bid to rebrand the party and make it strong enough to take over power in 2019.

The plan was made known at the end of a crucial meeting of the party's National Working Committee (NWC), National Vice Chairmen and State Chairmen of the PDP in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja which held Wednesday in Abuja.

A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by Amb. Ibrahim Kazaure and Dr. Emmanuel Agbo for National Vice Chairmen and State Chairmen respectively, said the meeting noted the outcome of the 2015 general elections and accordingly resolved not to allow the temporary setback affect the party's contributions to the democratic development of the country.

The meeting , which also noted and appreciated the patriotic stand taken by President Goodluck Jonathan after the elections as another milestone in the party's contributions to peace, stability and progress of the nation, however decried the widespread anomalies and irregularities that characterised the March 28 and April 11 elections in most states to the disadvantage of the PDP.

It therefore resolved to give full backing to the various pursuits of redress in this regard within the ambit of the law and tenets of democracy.

The meeting directed all PDP candidates who believed that they were shortchanged to channel their reports through their state chairmen as it resolved to resist undue harassments, witch-hunt and any form of intimidation or undemocratic tendencies from the opposition aimed at bringing down PDP members psychologically.

Noting what it described as the subterranean moves by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to undermine the structures of the PDP across the country with the sinister motive of allegedly imposing a one-party state in the polity, the meeting strongly cautioned the APC and its leader, General Muhammadu Buhari against any action or inaction that could threaten or erode the gains of democracy and personal freedom that have been established by the PDP government in the last 16 years.

The meeting resolved to galvanise the structures of the party and give full support to PDP candidates in the supplementary governorship elections in Abia, Taraba and Imo States as well as resist any undemocratic plot to manipulate the process against the party.

The meeting charged INEC and others stakeholders involved in the supplementary elections to be forthright, transparent and ensure that the will of the people in the affected states are not in any way subverted.

The meeting resolved to give all necessary support to the national leadership of the party under the chairmanship of Ahmadu Adamu Mu'azu to enable them re-engineer and rebrand the party for the task of regaining power by 2019.

In view of the above, the meeting charged all members of the party to continue to work harmoniously with their leaders at all levels especially at this critical time, while channeling any grievances to the appropriate organs in line with the provisions of the party's constitution

The meeting condemned in its entirety the attitude of fair-weather and unprincipled members who are rushing to the APC. It noted that such members are saboteurs and moles who worked against the PDP in the general election.

The meeting saluted the courage and faith of committed and dedicated members even in the face of the setbacks and intimidations and assured them of adequate protection of their inalienable rights as citizens in a democracy.

The meeting accordingly resolved to set up special committees on the repositioning of the party.