29th January, 2014
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ahmad Mu’azu has said the party will not give automatic tickets to its members to contest the 2015 general elections.
Muazu announced this while answering questions from newsmen after a closed-door meeting with the PDP caucus of the House of Representatives on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said that automatic tickets were only given by parties that were undemocratic.
“We have a democratic process and we will go through that, those that deserve it will surely get it,” he said.
He said that he was not aware of any promise made by the immediate past national chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, of giving automatic ticket to any member.
On the meeting, the chairman said it was normal for the party leadership to consult with the lawmakers.
Muazu added that the party would not disclose the strategy it would use to woo back members that defected to the All Progressive Congree (APC).
In attendance at the meeting were the Govs. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, Liyel Imoke of Cross Rivers, Ibrahim Shema of Katsina, Ramalan Yero of Kaduna and Muazu Aliyu of Niger and Theodore Orji of Abia states.
The Deputy Governors of Kogi and Jigawa states also attended the meeting.
The Governors of Anambra, Mr Peter Obi and Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo came in briefly in company of Gov. Godswill Akpabio but left before the meeting began.
Earlier in an address of welcome, the Majority leader of the House, Mulikat Akande-Adeola (PDP-Oyo), had demanded that the party offer automatic tickets to the lawmakers to contest in 2015.