THE Chairman of the National Reconciliation and Strategy Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said the meeting held with former Governors and Deputy Governors elected on the platform of the party was designed to strengthen the party and attract new members.

He said this while briefing the press, after a closed-door meeting which lasted close to two hours, at the PDP Legacy House, Maitama Abuja, on Wednesday.

Saraki told reporters that the party received assurances from their members who attended the meeting in large numbers, that they remain committed to the ideals of the party and have no plans to join the current ruling party as was being speculated in some quarter.

According to him, the meeting was also organised to hear grievances if any as well as receive advice on how to improve the party.

Saraki said, “We have gotten their assurances that they are not going anywhere; instead, they are going to bring in more people. Yesterday (Tuesday), we met with our former President. Today (Wednesday), we are consulting with our former governors who are our key stakeholders.

“We had a very useful and productive meeting. They (ex-governors) have all shown their commitment towards the party and their readiness to go and strengthen our party in their states and the national level to ensure that the PDP is well prepared for the 2023 election.

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“I want to see them more active because their silence sometimes might be misinterpreted, but they’ve promised me and the committee that they will be more active workers of the party.

“You will hear more of their voices now that they have spoken up,” he said. In attendance were former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi; immediate past Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed; erstwhile Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa; and immediate past Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose.

Others are Ibrahim Shema, Boni Haruna, Ahmed Makarfi, Gabriel Suswam, Sam Egwu, Emmanuel Uduaghan, Ramalan Yero, Babangida Aliyu, Ibrahim Idris, Wada Idris, and Liyel Imoke, former governors of Katsina, Adamawa, Kaduna, Benue, Ebonyi, Delta, Kaduna, Niger, Kogi and Cross River states, respectively. The committee meets the party’s Board of Trustees today (Thursday).