The Peoples Democratic Party National Executive Committee has set up a committee to consider the possibility of changing the party’s name ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, made this known when he briefed newsmen on the decision of the emergency meeting of the NEC in Abuja on Monday.
Ologbondiyan said the step was part of efforts to re-brand and reposition the party ahead of 2019.
He said: “The party has immediately constituted a committee on harmonisation.
“The responsibility of the Harmonisation Committee is to commence the process of the possibility of change of name as part of effort to re-brand our party and to reposition it for 2019 general elections.
“So we await the outcome of the Harmonisation Committee.”
Ologbondiyan said the party also approved the expulsion of Senator Buruji Kashamu, representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, and three other PDP members in the state.
He said the others expelled from party in Ogun State were Semiu Sodipo, Bayonne Adebayo and Segun Sheriki.
Ologbondiyan explained that the disciplinary action was taken against the members for hobnobbing with the All Progressives Congress, an action considered unacceptable to PDP.
He warned that with the way PDP had been repositioned, it would not accept untoward behaviour from members.
Ologbondiyan added that the NEC also approved the decision of the party National Working Committee to go to court over the Ekiti State governorship election.
He said: “The legal Committee has been constituted under the party National Legal Adviser to take all issues bordering on the state election to the court.”
He added that the NEC also considered the issues of the PDP coalescing with 38 other political parties, including the Reformed All Progressives Congresses.
He said: “NEC applauded the decision of the party to work with the grand alliance.
“The NEC also applauded the infusion of RAPC into PDP.
“We have been encouraged as members of NWC to continue to receive those who are tired of government of the day, very desirous of liberating our nation from misrule of APC.”
Ologbondiyan added that the NEC also approved the 2019 general elections timetable of the party and released to party members.
Responding to a question on how the party intended to manage the return of defecting members to the PDP, Ologbondiyan said it already had a template for that.
He said the PDP had a percentage of the party structure for elective officers returning to the party.
Ologbondiyan, however, said the party leadership would not impose its will on the state structure.