Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Former Ministers’ Forum on Tuesday, canvassed for the emergence of new set of leadership that would completely transform the fortunes of the party.
This came as the ministers failed to take a position on the controversy regarding the zoning of the party’s national chairmanship position to the North-east.
The meeting, which was poorly attended as compared to their previous ones, noted that the forthcoming national convention would determine the survival of PDP as a political party.
The Chairman of the forum, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), who read the communiqué after the meeting, called for transparent and credible congresses and national convention that would be in conformity and in line with the party’s constitution.
“The forum recognised serious concerns over the arrangements and is unequivocal, that should the convention not produce officers of the party that reflect the will of the people, it will portend continued disaster for the party in popular elections,” the communiqué added.
It noted that the forthcoming national convention will determine the survival of PDP as a political party.
The forum warned that “to have delegates that are pre-selected or pre-elected to return preferred candidate to national officers will be seen as a perpetration of lack of internal democracy that mortally injured the party in 2015.
“The ministers’ forum reaffirms its resolved continue to interact with the Board of Trustees (BoT), governors’ forum, National Assembly Forum and the leadership of the party in an increased effort to play active role in their various state so as to ensure that state delegates elect national officers that will accelerate the renewal of the party as a truly national party which it is.”
It urged the reconciliation committee to immediately commence the process of reconciling members of the party.
The ministers also urged all PDP members and its organs to rise to the challenge rebuilding and rebranding the party by eschewing all selfishness and opportunism as they vote at the convention.
