Jonathan, party leaders move to revive PDP

Former President Goodluck Jonathan and other leaders and stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have endorsed a blueprint for the revival and rebuilding of the party in preparation for the 2019 elections.

A meeting to ratify the roadmap was held yesterday at the Peoples Democratic Institute in Abuja, where some party leaders including Senator Ahmed Markafi and former Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam, discussed the restructuring plan which was designed by the steering committee of the ‘Restart PDP Project’.

The Convener of the parley, Nwosu Butches, who addressed journalists shortly before the meeting went into a closed-door session, stated that the blueprint for the revival of the PDP had been circulated to all the party leaders including the former president, adding that the roadmap was well received by the party leaders and other important stakeholders.

Butches explained that the party had learnt lessons from its past mistakes, noting that impunity and imposition of candidates were part of the things that derailed the PDP and made it lost the 2015 general elections.

He expressed confidence that the party would rise again, adding that the PDP is ready to revive the virtues and values that made it ruled Nigeria for 16 years.

He further stated that a national summit would soon be held to ratify the blueprint and its implementation.

“The comprehensive blueprint was developed to revive the PDP and restore its glory. The PDP is like a stalled vehicle which we are trying to revive and we believe that with the support the blueprint has received from all the party leaders, including the NWC members and stakeholders, the implementation of the roadmap will lead to the progress of the party.”

The blueprint listed the challenges facing the party to include intra-party crisis, manipulation of party structures by state governors and lack of internal democracy, among others.

The plan also discussed strategies for online registration of members, removal of party officials, electronic authentication and voting at party primaries, funding, removal of waivers for returning members and party constitution.