The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has ruled out propositions by some politicians for a change in the party’s name, noting that the name PDP remains the best political brand in the country.
This is just as the PDP holds that the future of the party remains bright and that the future of the country depends on the party.
This position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting of its National Executive Committee (NEC) held in Abuja on Monday.
Members at the meeting had particularly expressed concern about what it said were landmines created by the All Progressive Congress (APC) in its effort to make Nigeria a one-party state.
To this end, the party mandated its members in the National Assembly to commence the process of amending the nation’s electoral laws in a way that would facilitate free, fair and credible elections in the country.
Alleging that the legislature and judiciary were being pocketed by the executive, the party decried that the country under President Muhammadu Buhari was descending into dictatorship.
According to the party, the fact that separation of powers was in doubt was evident in the Supreme Court’s delivery of a “bizarre judgment in Imo State where it took our PDP’s governorship victory and handed it over to the APC candidate that came fourth.”
Monday’s NEC meeting also saw the party unanimously choose Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State as the new chairman of the PDP Governors Forum to replace the outgoing governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson.
In his remark at the meeting, Tambuwal had alleged a deliberate attempt to seize PDP-controlled states with a view to making Nigeria a one-party state.
Tambuwal particularly said that the PDP governors will provide the necessary support to enable Emeka Ihedioha to retrieve his post as Imo State governor if the Supreme Court decides to review the case.
Addressing the meeting, Mr Peter Obi, the vice-presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2019 election, urged leaders of the party unite in defending democracy.
Part of the communiqué released by the party reads: “The party insists that the PDP brand is still the best in the political firmament of our nation and as such, those canvassing for the change of name for our party should forget it because we remain the Peoples Democratic Party.
“The party also expressed concerns about landmines created by the All Progressives Congress to turn our country into a one-party state. Our party also says that no democracy can thrive in a situation where the legislative arm and the judiciary are caged.
“Our party believes that there are signs of a dictatorship in our nation today and as such, our members in the National Assembly were further charged to ensure that they use on their legislative instrument to ensure that our country is not reduced to a dictatorship.”
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