Ahmed Makarfi, the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of People’s Democratic Party, in a meeting with former Ministers in Abuja, said that the party is working hard to bring economic stability back to the nation.
The former Governor of Kaduna State said that the party was determined to “capture power in 2019”, hence the need to come up with creative ideas to help Nigeria out of recession.
Nigeria has been undergoing series of challenges in the nation as a result of the currency inflation, low oil export and poor income generation due to the fall in oil price at the international market.
Makarfi said, “We have met with the members of the Board of Trustees of our party, governors, former governors, state chairmen and other interest groups in our party.
“We therefore felt that we should meet with all interest groups and that’s why we are having this meeting.
“You are aware of the setting up of a committee as a number of you are members of the committee known as Inter-Party.
“Some people are giving different meanings that we are changing the name of the party, we are doing this and that.
“They don’t know how democracy functions. The ultimate is how we are going to capture power in 2019.
“By doing so, you can’t remain in captivity, remain in one place. But if people (opposition) don’t know how to come at you, they are confused.
“We are working on how to take Nigerians out of the shackles of poverty and hunger.
“We are concerned with how to rescue the nation. We will continue to do that. We won’t give up.”
He said the party had taken some decisions by zoning the presidency to the North and the chairmanship of the party to the South.
“What remains is how to strategise about how to achieve this,” he added.
He also affirmed the decision to give the caretaker committee a one year extension in Port Harcourt stating that it would help to resolve the crisis.
In his words, “Now, we are in the Supreme Court. That is an achievement. Hopefully, before the end of the year, we should be able to resolve this crisis,” Markafi said.
The Chairman of the former Ministers’ Forum and a former Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Taminu Turaki (SAN), also confirmed the unity of the former ministers in eradicating poverty in the nation.
He said, “We have to work together to free the party from the shackles of enemies of progress.”
“We want to know what you (caretaker committees) are doing. If you need our support, we want to know and also know the kind of support you need so that our party can move to the next level, especially as the journey towards 2019 is becoming stormy.
“We are delighted to have this meeting, which is long overdue. We will remain resolute to make sure that the PDP is giving support to continue to nurture democracy.
“We may be out of office, we may be seen to be out of ground, but we are not out. The PDP will work to salvage Nigeria from hunger, unemployment and all that.”
He added, “Nigerians should wait for us, we are coming back soon.”
Some of the ministers in attendance at the meeting include: Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, Hajia Ina Ciroma, Sule Lamido and Prof. Taoheed Adedoja.