PDP begins merger talks with Labour, SDP others to unseat APC in 2019

PDP has started merger talks with other opposition parties ahead of 2019 general election

Some party chieftains were said to be enthusiastic about the merger while some were pessimistic - The APC had in 2015 dislodged the former ruling party PDP from Aso Rock There are indications that the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have bowed to pressures being mounted by some leading chieftains of the party who strongly feel the PDP needs to collaborate with other opposition parties if it is to achieve its aim of displacing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from Aso Rock in 2019. 
The Nation reports that talks about the possibility of the former ruling party merging with other political parties to form a mega party that can defeat the ruling APC in the forthcoming 2019 general election have been on for a while with some of the suggestions put forward generating controversies within and outside the party. 
NAIJ.com gathered that while a good number of party chieftains are enthusiastic about the merger, some are pessimistic, calling for some of the suggestions to be discarded. READ ALSO: Tension as Buhari’s support groups battle for supremacy ahead of 2019 election According to The Nation, reliable party sources revealed that following months of extensive deliberations over an earlier proposal submitted by one of the numerous committees instituted by the Caretaker Committee, when it took office, to the effect that the PDP should seek alliances and mergers with other political parties and platforms ahead of the 2019 General Election, the party now appears ready for merger talks with willing political parties. The Nation gathered that as part of efforts to reposition the PDP and make it more formidable, the party will soon open talks with some identified parties and groups across the country with a view to either enter into political alliances with them or absorb such parties into the PDP to form a stronger political opposition against the ruling APC. “It is true that our party will be seeking some forms of collaboration soon. Plans are at top gear for a merger between the PDP and a number of political parties and groups in Nigeria ahead of the 2019 general elections. "There are also talks about alliances with some other parties and groups. There are even some socio-cultural organisations, which now want to work with the PDP to ensure that the APC is chased out of government in the country. “The discussion over the issue has been on for a while and we all agreed to keep it guarded to forestall any smart move by our opponents. "But recently, those who want us to explore the options of alliance and merger convinced the leadership of the party and it was agreed that the PDP should open its doors for other parties and groups to come in or work with us. The talks should start immediately after the convention baring any change in plans,” a party source said. “One major bone of contention between the groups of those who want the merger and those opposed to it is the name of the party. There are those who strongly feel the PDP should not change its name for any reason. "These are the people opposed to merger talks. They strongly feel the PDP’s name is a brand that shouldn’t be thrown away for any mega arrangement,’ a party source added. The Nation further gathered that the party has mandated a committee, headed by Professor Jerry Gana, to identify and contact possible political parties and groups that the PDP can open talks with. “The committee is not new. It is the same committee put in place last November, following the emergence of the Caretaker Committee as the new leadership of the party,” a source added. Speaking on the possibility of the party entering into alliances with other opposition parties, the former information minister, Prof Jerry Gana disclosed that his committee made effort to reach out to political parties and groups with similar objectives and that the initial contacts of the committee had yielded positive responses from seven people-focused and social democratic parties. “This is nothing to do with the rumoured Mega Party, but a separate and highly principled initiative of the PDP. These parties and the PDP will soon meet in Abuja to discuss further. Our desire is to have all genuine democratic and friends of the people to flow together and provide a fresh and trustworthy leadership to promote and ensure people-friendly process of national development,’ Gana said. Receiving the report, Makarfi described it as “excellent work” that could not be rejected by any organ of the party. He said that the report was part of the activity of the Caretaker Committee towards moving the party forward. Makarfi said the party leadership would forward the report to the party’s organs for critical analysis as well as due process in implementing the recommendations. “We are going to work to make sure that we reconnect to Nigerians. This report has laid the path for correcting those past mistakes. Though PDP had many remarkable achievements in its 16 years of ruling the country, the party members regret and apologise to the electorate for its past mistakes. We appreciate the effort of this committee and we will utilise the report well,” Makarfi added. Meanwhile, reliable party sources told The Nation that the party has finally resolved the grey areas in the recommendations and may have embarked on talks with selected political parties and groups. It was also gathered that some political bigwigs currently in the APC are also on the list of those to be approached for possible alliances. “All issues concerning the merger and alliance talks have been resolved and we are moving very fast with underground consultations and talks. We are doing it underground because we do not want the process to be hijacked or truncated. We are politicians and we understand the effect of surprise attacks. When we eventually come out with what we intend to do, people will marvel,” a chieftain of the party said. The Nation gathered that political parties allegedly in talks currently with the PDP over possible merger and or alliances include the newly registered Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance, (APDA). Party sources claim talks between the PDP and APDA has reached advanced stage with the possible outcome that the later will fuse into the PDP ahead of the 2019 general election
Source Naij.com