TheCable

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has constituted a committee to examine the demand for automatic ticket by the party’s members in the house of representatives.

The decision was reached at a meeting between the PDP leadership and members of the house in Abuja, which was convened at the instance of Adamu Mu’azu, national chairman of PDP (pictured).

However, Mu’azu, who left the venue of the meeting shortly after it began, declined comments on the purported demand of the lawmakers for automatic tickets to contest the 2015 election.

In the absence of the national chairman, the meeting was presided over by Uche Secondus, the PDP national deputy chairman.

Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, Olisa Metuh, PDP national publicity secretary, said the subject of automatic ticket was extensively deliberated on.

He added that the committee, set up with representatives from each of the six geopolitical zones of the country, was expected to address all issues relating to automatic ticket.

“We discussed matters of mutual interest for the progress of the PDP. We are happy with the commitment of members of the PDP in the house,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“But I need to mention that it was not only PDP members that were here. Members of Labour Party and APGA were here.

“These are people that are committed to the progress of the country; our discussion was strictly private. It has to do with the position that we are exchanging in furtherance of the party’s interest.”

Metuh said that the defection of the speaker of the house of representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, or when the house would reconvene, did not come up for discussion.

However, he added that: “We have raised a committee of lawyers to look at what we have discussed and we will get back to our members.”

Adamu Bashir, a PDP representative from Jigawa, expressed optimism that the committee would act immediately and report to the party’s national chairman.

Emeka Ihedioha, deputy speaker of the house, and Mulikat Akande, the majority leader, were present at the meeting.