PDP mulls name change, holds emergency NEC today

The Peoples Democratic Party is considering the possibility of
changing its name before the conduct of 2019 general elections,
Punch reports.

Investigations by our correspondent showed that this was one of
the conditions given by those who left the party before the 2015
general elections.

It was gathered that this might be one of the issues to be
discussed by the party at its hurriedly called National Executive
Committee meeting, which holds in Abuja on Thursday (today).

A statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the
party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said that the NEC meeting would hold
at the party’s national secretariat.

However, no mention was made concerning the agenda of the
meeting.

Nevertheless, investigations by our correspondent showed that
the national leadership of the party would use the meeting to brief
NEC on the outcome of its discussions with defectors and other
members of other political parties that had been contacted to
return to the party ahead of the elections.

A member of the National Working Committee of the party, who
spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, confirmed
that the issue of name-changing or not would be tabled at the
meeting.

He said, “It is true that some people are asking us to change
our name. We are considering it. But we can’t do it alone. We need
to consult widely on it. While doing that, we also need to be
careful so that we are not misled.

“Is the advice genuine or is it borne out of hatred to mislead
us ahead of the elections? We are looking at many possibilities.
Are some people trying to mislead us, or they want to really join
us to win power back in 2019, or they are planning to mislead us?
We will also look at the legal possibilities and encumbrance.”

When contacted, Ologbondiyan said he did not know the agenda for
the meeting.

“The agenda will be known tomorrow. It is not something I can
tell you now. In fact, I don’t know it,” he said.

The Peoples Democratic Party is considering the possibility of
changing its name before the conduct of 2019 general elections,
Punch reports.

Investigations by our correspondent showed that this was one of
the conditions given by those who left the party before the 2015
general elections.

It was gathered that this might be one of the issues to be
discussed by the party at its hurriedly called National Executive
Committee meeting, which holds in Abuja on Thursday (today).

A statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the
party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said that the NEC meeting would hold
at the party’s national secretariat.

However, no mention was made concerning the agenda of the
meeting.

Nevertheless, investigations by our correspondent showed that
the national leadership of the party would use the meeting to brief
NEC on the outcome of its discussions with defectors and other
members of other political parties that had been contacted to
return to the party ahead of the elections.

A member of the National Working Committee of the party, who
spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, confirmed
that the issue of name-changing or not would be tabled at the
meeting.

He said, “It is true that some people are asking us to change
our name. We are considering it. But we can’t do it alone. We need
to consult widely on it. While doing that, we also need to be
careful so that we are not misled.

“Is the advice genuine or is it borne out of hatred to mislead
us ahead of the elections? We are looking at many possibilities.
Are some people trying to mislead us, or they want to really join
us to win power back in 2019, or they are planning to mislead us?
We will also look at the legal possibilities and encumbrance.”

When contacted, Ologbondiyan said he did not know the agenda for
the meeting.

“The agenda will be known tomorrow. It is not something I can
tell you now. In fact, I don’t know it,” he said.