FOLLOWING renewed call by the chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT)
of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former president, Chief
Olusegun Obasanjo,
for the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives to be
returned to the South-West in line with the original zoning formula of
the party, its acting national chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, has
said that the party will not revisit the issue.
He has also cleared the way for former Governors Gbenga Daniel and
Ayo Fayose to return to the PDP if they so wished, as long as they
satisfied the stipulated criteria for re-entry.
The party boss, who spoke on Thursday at the national secretariat of
the party in Abuja in his maiden press briefing since assuming office,
also said that the party was hopeful of registering about 40 million
members in the ongoing membership registration and revalidation
exercise.
He said the party had accepted Honourable Tambuwal from the
North-West zone as the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
especially as he admitted that an error was committed in his emergence
but had apologised for it.
Chief Obasanjo had insisted recently in Abeokuta that the issue of
speakership must be addressed or the South-West would lose greater
things in future.
The party chairman also indicated that the party had not foreclosed
the return of Daniel and Fayose or any other interested former party
member to the PDP fold as long as they were able to meet the
requirements of the party.
The acting chairman, who explained the aim of the ongoing
registration and revalidation exercise, said the PDP was targeting about
40 million members in the exercise which he said was open to all
interested Nigerians.
Baraje said that the decision “to open up our party’s register is
informed by the need to afford teeming admirers and supporters
throughout the country, the opportunity to join the PDP formally and
participate actively in the national transformation agenda of President
Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP.
“It is also borne out of the need to update our membership register
and provide a level playing field for all those who wish to utilise the
vast opportunities and advantages that the PDP offers to our members,
supporters and admirers,” he added.
While pointing out that the exercise has gone on smoothly around the
country, Baraje clarified the purpose of the exercise, saying “the
ongoing membership exercise is open to all Nigerians from 18 years and
above who fulfil the criteria for membership of our party. It is also an
opportunity for current members to revalidate and renew their
membership of our great party. It is not intended as a witch-hunt or to
exclude anybody from our party.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our executives at all levels must be
informed in clear terms that this is not a de-registration exercise, nor
is it an opportunity for anyone to whimsically deny any Nigerian who is
willing and ready to join our party.
“The registration project is conceived in the all-inclusive
philosophy of the PDP and must be insulated from selfish interests and
unwarranted controversies by uninformed and overzealous persons who may
try to create unnecessary obstacles to those who genuinely want to be
part of our party,” he warned.
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