2019: PDP leaders dodge questions on name change

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday dodged questions on whether the party is planning to change its name ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Daily Trust gathered that members of the New PDP (nPDP) who joined the APC in 2013, and a coalition of over 30 political parties had asked the PDP to change its name before they would consider any deal with it.

According to informed sources, the demand was premised on insinuations that the name ‘PDP’ had lost respect and appeal with Nigerians.

The Chairman of PDP Board or Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin and the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, did not answer calls put to their phone lines or respond to text messages sent to them on the issue.

Similarly, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, his Media Aide, Mr Ike Abonyi and the PDP National Secretary, Senator Umar Tsauri, did not respond to text messages sent to them.

However, a former governor of Kaduna State and former chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, in a text message explained that the party was waiting for the report of the contact committee it set up to look at issues relating to the party.

“The party has set up a committee to discuss with several groups. I am not aware that it has submitted its report to the leadership,” he said.

Daily Trust findings revealed that the committee would among other things recommend name change for the party.