The Peoples Democratic Party says it is working with former Presidents and political leaders in the country to install a new President in Nigeria in 2019.

Already, it said discussions had gone far among the former leaders of the country and others, on how to rescue the country from the hands of the present leaders.

The National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, gave this information while speaking at the opening ceremony of the party’s National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

He was however silent on the names of the former Presidents and leaders that the PDP had met.

Secondus also told the gathering, which included governors and former Presidents of the Senate and the current Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, that discussions were also on to bring other people to join the party.

He said, “We have met with former Presidents and former leaders and they are in unison to make sure that come 2019, a new and fresh President is elected and a new government is formed in our nation.

“Because of this challenge, we have taken it upon ourselves as the leading opposition party to broaden our scope, open our doors and allow ideas to flow in for a more robust democratic development.

“We, therefore, invite our brothers, sisters, youths and women from other political parties in this platform to join us to rescue our country that is in distress socially, politically, and economically and security wise.

“In this country today over 3.1 million citizens are languishing in various IDPs across the country yet we are not at war with any country.

“Our consultations have taken us to meet with various interest groups who are willing to do business with us and I can report to you that it has been very fruitful.

“We expect in the coming days to have a broader political family working dedicatedly to rescue this democracy and our beloved country from the hands of the All Progressives Congress.”

Our correspondent gathered that to achieve the desired result, the PDP leadership was already thinking of changing the name of the party.

The decision was said to have been arrived at following a series of meetings its leadership had with defectors who were said to be interested in returning to the former ruling party.

They were said to have given some conditions, which included a little tinkering with the current name of the party.

Secondus described the snatching of the mace at the Senate by political thugs on Wednesday as a coup and asked that those behind it should be tried for treason.

The mace snatching, he said, “underscores the fact that our democracy is seriously under threat.”

He added, “..What happened in the Senate yesterday (Wednesday) is a clear assault on democracy, a coup against the legislature and should not only be condemned but those responsible should be tried for treason as demanded by the law.

“Herdsmen brazenly invade our homes and farms, rape, maim and kill our people daily, and thugs do the same in our parliament yet we have a government.”

Speaking at the meeting,  the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, who is also the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, called on Ekweremadu not to rely on the police for his protection.

He said if hoodlums could easily gain access to the National Assembly without security men stopping them,  then nobody could be said to be safe.

Facing Ekweremadu, Fayose said, “Take your security seriously. Don’t rely on the Nigerian police so that they don’t collude against you.”

Ekweremadu said he had reported the Senate incident to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

He said he could not still fathom how the hoodlums were able to beat security cordon in the area to gain access to the Senate chambers.

Among those at the meeting were the governors of Bayelsa,  Akwa Ibom, Gombe and Taraba states.

PUNCH.