The disagreement within the Peoples Democratic Party came to a head Tuesday as some members of the party teamed up with others in the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and other parties to form a new party.
The group, which held its maiden meeting in Abuja Tuesday, unanimously adopted Chief Perry Opara as the protem chairman of the proposed party which is named Peoples Mega Party, PMP. Chief Opara was an aide to former political adviser to Goodluck Jonathan, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, who recently filed a suit against the PDP and the then acting national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, and secured a judgement ordering Secondus to vacate office as acting chairman on ground that his acting role had elapsed.
Addressing the meeting, Chief Opara said the leadership crisis within the PDP which had impacted negatively on its glory and future, had necessitated the need for the Peoples Mega Party, PMP. He explained: “The major people who are in the party are former members of the PDP who are disenchanted by the high level of corruption, high level of impunity and high-handedness in the PDP. ”They have decided to form something very new and they are of the opinion that they should hand over the party to younger elements who are less corrupt and who can fight for the interest of the people.
“It does not mean that it is only people from the PDP, we have APGA chairmen from many states of Nigeria identifying with the new party, people from Labour Party, LP, and the Accord Party, AP. ”There are also disenchanted people from the APC that feel that they want a new place and that is what it is. Today marks the birth of this new party.”
The proposed party adopted the picture of a human being as its logo, while its slogan is: “Forward Nigeria.” Chief Opara said the new organization would take the next step to approach the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for registration, adding that when registered, the party would focus more of its attention on recruiting the youths who constitute about 54% of the country’s population into it’s fold.
The leader of the APGA faction that led its members to the new party, Chief John Agbara, who addressed NEC members, said: “After a wide consultation, we have decided to collapse the structure of APGA to PMP today. We are today full members of the PMP.”
