Former PDP ministers lobby for national chairman

• Promise financial support for Caretaker Committee

Former minsters in the government of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have commenced lobbying for the national chairman of the party. The former minsters also promised to support the National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, former Governor of Kaduna State, financially and morally.

The former minsters who met in Abuja on Thursday emphasized the need to rebuild the PDP on strong political machine and transparent party structures; thus, regrouping to provide new leadership for the Opposition Party that is just rejuvenating after years of conflicts from 2015.

The former PDP minsters, mostly those appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan, appealed to the Caretaker Committee indicated the willingness to nominate the national chairman of the PDP which they said should be zoned to the South West.

They remarked that they are not suggesting that only ministers are good leaders, adding that there are former governors who are good leaders also.

The former minsters admonished that strict adherence to the basic principles of democracy is the only way forward for the PDP.

ALSO SEE: Four dominant groups fighting Cold War in APC Govt

The Chairman of the national Caretaker Committee had earlier articulated that the emergent PDP will no longer cut corners in deciding who gets what, when and how from the party platform. Makarfi assured all stakeholders in the party of transparency, fairness and equity in the administration of the party henceforth.

Stakeholders in the PDP have since the judgment of the Supreme Court, penultimate week, which restored the Makarfi leadership of the party, commenced reconciliati0n across the country.  Several old members who dumped the party years ago have been participating in the reconciliation process, giving the hope that the PDP may bounce back to its previous hegemony in the mainstream body politic.

It is noticeable that the former ministers are beginning to constitute a strong power base in the PDP, becoming more active to displace the dominance of PDP Governors in decision making in the party. They are reinforcing their renewed relevance with assurance of financing support which the governors could have been the major members to rely on by the party.