What’s the fate of defectors?

It was apparent where the support for the change of name is coming from based on what happened immediately after the PDP adopted a resolution to pursue the change of name. This was when the lawmakers from the Reformed All Progressives Congress (rAPC) jumped ship to identify with the main opposition party.

It was said that some of the former bigwigs of the PDP, who wanted to return to the party had given conditions, one of which is that the party should effect a change in its name and to do away with all the negative practices that may have given it the bad image.

Beyond the issue of change of name, an agreement was also being sought on how to secure party tickets for defectors or at least create enabling environment for accommodating the returnees. On the planned name change, Ologbondiyan whose responsibility it was to relay the outcome of the PDP NEC meeting said a template had been approved by the party for every state chapter on how to handle the fusion of new members into the PDP.

He said even the NEC applauded the fusion of rAPC into PDP and approved the alliance entered into by the party with other 39 political parties. According to him, a certain percentage of party structure has been approved for states where a serving governor is one of the new members, adding, however, that the National Working Committee (NWC) was not inclined to imposing any structure on any state chapter.