2019: PDP woos Saraki,Tambuwal to return to its fold
- Senate President Bukola Saraki and Sokoto state governor Aminu Tambuwal, have been called to return to the PDP
- A top member of (NEC), who spoke in confidence said it is like they are being begged to return to their roots as part of a larger reconciliation policy in PDP
- The PDP is said to have also initiated talks with three APC governors in the northwest, which is the political base of President Muhammadu Buhari
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is said to have called on Senate President Bukola Saraki and Sokoto state governor Aminu Tambuwal, his predecessor, Senator Aliyu Wammako, former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) and former Governor Danjuma Goje (Gombe) to return to its fold in order to wrest power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) next year.
The Nation reports a top member of (NEC), who spoke in confidence, said: ''We have really opened up talks with Saraki and others. It is like we are begging them to return to their roots as part of a larger reconciliation policy in PDP.
''We want Tambuwal, Kwankwaso, Wammako, Goje and others in PDP because we see them as “game changers. We are also targeting ex-Governor Sani Ahmed Yerima of Zamfara State who has always been in the opposition until the APC coalition emerged.
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“We have had series of shuttles to them by some of our leaders having discovered that they had been patching in APC. They have been stifled and abandoned in the coalition called APC. We want them to return to their natural habitat.
“The PDP has also initiated talks with three APC governors in the Northwest, which is the political base of President Muhammadu Buhari.”
The source added: ''None of these leaders has given the PDP any commitment because they are the weighing options. Some of them have given sufficient signal that they might quit APC.
“If you look at some states, the associates of these key leaders have started deriding APC. Some of them have even defected from APC to PDP. So, we are positive.”
Another member of NEC said: ''As part of the ongoing negotiations, some of those defecting to PDP specifically demanded for a change of name of the party.
''We were wary of the request for change of name in order not to cause crisis in PDP. If we accede to their request, the Uche Secondus-led NWC will technically cease to exist.
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''The danger is that these new members might want the NWC restructured in a manner that will give them a stake in the leadership of the party.
''We believe we have conceded enough by granting a waiver to all PDP returnees and new members. We have promised them equity and justice too in all our dealings.
''Another concession is granting these bigwigs the control of PDP machinery in their states in order to determine who to field for the 2019 polls. We, however, added a caveat that they should accommodate those who have been steering the affairs of PDP in the affected states before their return.”
The source however added: ''We won’t promise any of these leaders automatic presidential ticket. We are firm on this.”
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Saraki visited Sokoto state to commiserate with Tambuwal and the people over the death of a lawmaker.
Saraki who visited alongside some of his aides prayed for the repose of the soul of Abdullahi Wamakko, the lawmaker who represented Kware/Wammako federal constituency of Sokoto state at the House of Representatives.
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Source: Legit.ng
