Plans are at top gear for a merger between the reinvigorated Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, and fifteen other Political parties in Nigeria
ahead of the 2019 general elections, a credible source have told
pointblanknews.com
The merger talk slated for sometimes in August, would also discuss a
possible name change for the PDP. Sources hinted that Peoples Democratic
Alliance, PDA, could be adopted as the new name for the coalition,
pointblanknews.com learnt.
Political Parties allegedly involved in the merger with the PDP according
to a source includes: Labour Party, LP, Advanced Peoples Democratic
Alliance, APDA, Accord Party, AP, Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA,
Social Democratic Party, SDP, United Nigeria Peoples Party, UNPP.
Others are: All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, National Democratic
Party, NDP, United Progressive Party, UPP, Young Progressive Party, YPP
and four others.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that leaders of the PDP believe that the All
Progressive Congress, APC have used its propaganda machineries to destroy
the party as a brand, hence the urgent need to form a coalition and rename
and rebrand the party ahead of 2019 elections.
“We cannot take for granted that the APC has used propaganda to destroy
PDP. Part of our plan is to rebrand the Party whether the merger works out
or not. We recognize the need to rebrand and reposition the party and we
won’t take that for granted,” the source hinted.
The source, a PDP Chieftain who has been in talks with other political
parties said the decision to seek alliance was borne out of the need to
bring back PDP members and other like minds who in the wake of the
prolonged court case, dumped the party.
The source who does not want to be named because he is not authorized to
comment on the on-going discussions told Pointblanknews.com that once the
alliance becomes concrete, a new constitution would be adopted to position
the alliance ahead of 2019.
He hinted that one of the key issues members of the 15 Political parties
have expressed is the need to allow candidates for any elective positions
to emerge without imposition.
“One key area of concern for members of the alliance we are talking with
is imposition of candidates by political parties. This is what almost
killed PDP and the coalition wants that area settled before the merger is
concluded,” the source told Pointblanknews.com.
An official of APDA who confirmed the merger to pointblanknews.com said
the party is open to the possibility of a merger but cautioned that the
issue of imposition must be eliminated while a new constitution created
for efficiency.
“We are open to talks with any party so long as it would enhance democracy
and benefit the people of Nigeria. PDP is still a strong political party
with widespread, so we are open,” the APDA official who also does not want
to be named told pointblanknews.com