The Peoples  Democratic Party (PDP)  National  Executive  Committee has set up a committee to consider the possibility of changing  the party’s name ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, disclosed this when he briefed  newsmen on the decision  of the emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja on Monday.

Ologbondiyan  said the step was part of efforts to re-brand and reposition  the party ahead of 2019.

“The party has immediately  constituted a committee  on harmonisation.

“The responsibility of the Harmonisation Committee  is to commence  the process of the possibility  of change of name as part  of effort  to re-brand our party and to reposition it for 2019 general elections.

“So we await the outcome of the Harmonisation Committee. ”

Ologbondiyan said the party  also approved  the expulsion  of Sen. Buruji Kashamu,  representing  represents Ogun East Senatorial District  in the National  Assembly and three other PDP members in the state.

He said the others expelled from party in Ogun were Semiu Sodipo,  Bayonne Adebayo and Segun Sheriki.

Ologbondiyan  explained that  the disciplinary action  was taken against the members for hobnobbing  with the ruling  party, an action considered unacceptable to PDP.

He warned that with the way PDP had been repositioned,  it would not  accept  untoward behaviour from. members.

Ologbondiyan  added that the NEC also approved  the decision  of the party National Working Committee (NWC) to go to court over Ekiti governorship election.

“The legal Committee has been constituted under the party National Legal Adviser to take all issues bordering on the state election to the court.”

He added that the NEC also considered the issues of the PDP coalescing with 38 other political parties, including the Reformed All Progressives Congresses (RAPC).

“NEC applauded the  decision  of the party  to work with the grand alliance. The NEC also applauded the infusion of RAPC into PDP.

“We have been encouraged as members of  NWC to continue  to receive those who are tired  of government  of the day very desirous  of liberating  our nation  from misrule of APC.”

Ologbondiyan  added that the NEC  also approved  the 2019 general elections  timetable  of the party  and released to party members.

Responding  to question  on how the party intended to manage the return  of defecting  members to the PDP,  Ologbondiyan  said that the party  already  had a template  for that.

He said that the party  had a percentange of the party structure for elective officers returning to the party.

Ologbondiyan ,  however, said  the party  leadership would not impose its will on the state structure.

The PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, earlier said at the opening of the meeting, that the party  would reclaim  its victory  in the just concluded  governorship election in Ekiti.

Secondus said what happened in Ekiti was a sham and mockery of democracy, which must not be allowed to happen in Osun.

“Let me assure our teeming supporters that we have all the polling unit results and overwhelming records of electoral infractions by the APC, security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) .

“We will reclaim our mandate in court,” Secondus  said.

He said that the meeting  was called to review recent happenings in the country and to take critical decisions that would help salvage the country’s democracy.

He condemned the unending killings across the country, saying “life is no longer worth anything with rivers of blood a constant spectacle.

“No day passes without innocent Nigerians being slaughtered in their numbers by killer herdsmen, bandits or Boko Haram.

“Insecurity has so worsened that people are genuinely scared to travel freely. Yet this was a government that promised to wipe out Boko Haram in a matter of weeks.

“The lack of political will to rein in the killer herdsmen has left Nigerians and the international community in shock.”

Secondus  said that the situation in the country demanded that all people of goodwill must join hands to legally vote out the APC government.

“One thing is clear, Nigeria is heading for disaster and Nigerians are looking up to PDP and other democrats to halt the slide. We shall not disappoint them.”(NAN)