Crisis ridden ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that it would not offer automatic tickets to its incumbent National Assembly members in 2015.
The PDP Chairman, Zone 3 of Kaduna State, Mr. Joseph Gumbari declared this today on behalf of the party in Jos today.
He said, “There will be nothing like automatic tickets for anyone; incumbents and challengers seeking the PDP ticket must go through the normal process to secure it,’’
Recent reports had quoted some federal lawmakers as insisting on automatic tickets for the 2015 race to stop them from joining others that defected to the rival All Progressives Change (APC).
It would be recalled that the PDP had lost five governors, some key leaders and 37 House of Representatives members to the APC in the wave of defections that hit the party.
But Gumbari, a former member of the House of Representatives, argued that by conceding to the demand for automatic would “kill the PDP.”
“No one can blackmail the PDP into making such concessions; we shall give the party’s tickets to only those who deserve it. Those who have performed and are still popular should have nothing to fear.
“There are many law makers today that cannot visit their constituencies for fear that they could be attacked by their constituents.
“Such people have abandoned the people and had offered nothing to better their lots. You cannot impose such people on the electorate because that will endanger our chances,’’ he said.
