The Nigerian ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) kick-started its preparation for the 2015 general elections last night with President Goodluck Jonathan holding a closed door meeting with members of the party’s national caucus.
The meeting, which held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential, Abuja, was a prelude to the National Executive Council meeting of the party billed for Thursday.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta said shortly after the meeting that the party’s election guidelines in 2015 dominated discussions at the meeting, which ended in the early hours of today.
“Most of the discussions were centred on the 2015 elections, that is, preparations of the party for the 2015 elections. There were presentations by the National Working Committee. You know we have our National Executive Committee meeting on Thursday, and the guidelines for the party were discussed.
“But most of the decisions will be taken at the NEC meeting on Thursday. What we did here was to brainstorm on certain issues that will be presented at the NEC meeting.
“So, it is on that Thursday that a lot of the decisions that will guide us for the 2015 elections will be taken.”
Reports have it that a meeting of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) has also been scheduled to hold at the Presidential Villa later today, ahead of tomorrow’s meeting of the National Executive Council at the party national secretariat.
Those who were at the last night caucus meeting were Vice President Namadi Sambo; the President of the Senate, Sen. David Mark, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha.
Others were the Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba; the Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi; the PDP Chairman, Adamu Muazu; the Deputy National Chairman, Uche Secondus, and a former PDP Chairman, Ahmadu Ali.
The Secretary of the PDP BoT, Walid Jibril; the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Rufai Alkali; the PDP National Women Leader, Kema Chikwe; the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, were also present.
Governors in attendance were Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Jonah Jang (Plateau) and Theodore Orji (Abia). [myad]
