PDP Endorsement: I’m Humbled, Overwhelmed – Jonathan — Sep 19, 2014 Despite yesterday’s overwhelming endorsement by his party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as sole candidate ahead of 2015, President Goodluck Jonathan continued the suspense on when he would openly declare to run, declaring instead that he is overwhelmed and humbled but extremely challenged by the endorsement. The PDP’s highest decision-making body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), met yesterday and roundly endorsed President Jonathan as the sole candidate of the party following a voice vote presided over by the national chairman of the party, Dr Adamu Mu’azu. The endorsement followed series of endorsements by the party’s governors, its caucus in the National Assembly, the Board of Trustees and a larger caucus of the party between Tuesday and Wednesday. But President Jonathan, who continued the suspense on the timing of his declaration, said he would leave out his declaration for the 2015 election for another day. He, however, underscored the import of his emergence as sole candidate of the party, stressing that he will not disappoint the party and Nigerians. He said, “Adopting me as the sole candidate of the party has humbled me; I am totally overwhelmed. I want to appreciate the governors for initiating the process even though the House of Representatives started it, but when the governors backed it, it was like an atomic bomb. “I am so overwhelmed that I lack words to express myself. I know the press wants me to declare but I leave it for another day. For today, for you to have that kind of confidence, I am extremely challenged. It means that whatever we had done in the past three years, we should tripple it. That is the only way Nigerians will appreciate it. I will not disappoint you.” The PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) had Wednesday night unanimously endorsed President Jonathan as the party’s sole candidate for the 2015 presidential poll. At its meeting held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja which started at about 8:16pm and ended at about 11:20pm, the BoT also approved the timetable and guidelines for the party’s primaries and national convention for the 2015 polls. Former information minister, Prof Jerry Gana made the BoT position known, while addressing journalists alongside deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu and PDP BoT secretary, Walid Jibril after the board meeting. Gana noted that the board’s endorsement of the president as PDP’s sole candidate for the 2015 presidential race was unanimously done by BoT members with a standing ovation after chairman of the PDP governor’s forum and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio briefed them that PDP governors have unanimously endorsed Jonathan as the party’s sole candidate for 2015. He said the PDP governors agreed that none of them will present themselves for the position of president in the PDP primaries, which means no PDP governor would be interested to contest the office of president with Jonathan. Jonathan who commiseriated with the killings in Kaduna and Kano states, assured that “between now and mid October things must change drastically.” While he noted that the UN General Assembly has as it’s top agenda the issue of global terror, he said “Nigeria is having an unfair share. When terrorists install leaders, it is no longer terrorism, it is like sessision which no government can take.” He however appreciated the Senate and the entire National Assembly for their statement and joining the government in this regard, promising to bring it to an end. On the Ebola Virus Disease, while he noted that it will not send the right signals to the international country if institutions remain closed over the disease since it has been contained. He added that government decided to reopen schools to avoid discrimination against Nigeria internationally and also to tell the world that we have successfully manage Ebola. He nonetheless said “as long as we are on the West coast, we cannot totally eliminate it, but we shall handle it.” He stressed joy that at the moment, there is nobody with Ebola. 19 people contacted Ebola, seven died and the rest survived, attributing it to the commitment of Nigerians. President Jonathan, however charged members of the party to continue with the commitment in the party rallies, noting that the remaining rallies for southwest and south south regions were relocated from Ibadan and Portharcourt to Lagos and Benin respectively because of the overwhelming turnout that graced the rally of a support group which held rallies in He recalled that when the party was hit by defections, some ambassadors were already sending signals to their countries that PDP is gone, “but when we started out rallies, everybody have seen that PDP is still the number one. He also noted that the senatorial election in Niger initially rattled the party but thanked the governor for working hard for the victory. He hailed the Sen. David Mark for the stability he has brought to the Senate, stressing that institutions must be stable for progress to be made. “When institutions are stable, progress and development are rapid. Also commended the state governors, especially for holding non-PDP states. At the NEC meeting however, the various organs of the party formally justified their endorsement for President Jonathan as sole candidate. On behalf of the PDP Governors Forum, Niger State governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, stated that all the governors overwhelming endorsed President Jonathan “with a united front to win more states for the party”. He however called on the Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, who was present at meeting, to stand for recognition, which was greeted with cheers from the NEC members. Lamido however waved to the president. Mu’azu, who is also the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, stated that the PDP will reclaim Sokoto, Kwara, Adamawa, Rivers, Nasarawa states. Speaking for the Board of Trustees of the party, deputy national chairman of the party, Shuaibu Oyedokun, said the members of BoT considered the need to consolidate the gains in the party and making use of an incumbent president who was performing. He lamented that the party had suffered a lot of defections and appeared as if it would collapse but “we have come to stability due to reform and putting in place right men and women. Our president is performing. His transformation agenda is going well and Nigeria enjoying it.” Speaking for the national assembly, the senate president, Sen. David mark, said “If there is any arm of government that wants continuity and understand the importance of continuity it is the legislative arm. We don’t want a breach in continuity, we believe in continuity, we ask for continuity. So for us what is happening today is go news.” Sen. Mark, who stated that the PDP caucus of national assembly had since taken a position for President Jonathan’s 2015 ambition, noted “what we are announcing here today is not about Goodluck Jonathan. Not just for those of us here. It is a legacy that we want to leave for PDP”. He noted that if there is a sitting president who is a performing president, it is will be good to give him a chance to do even better. On behalf of PDP women, Justina Eze, who after leading a song, said “we have totally resolved that for what Jonathan has done, we endorsed him totally as the sole candidate. No vacancy in 2015.” However, former chairman of the party, Halliru Bello Mohammed, raised a motion for the adoption of President Jonathan to emerge the sole candidate of the party, arguing “we cannot change a winning formula and we have always had it from 1999.” He added that President Jonathan’s endorsement was also in view of the fact that the party has to go into election in harmony and win elections fair and square. He also said President Jonathan has performed well in line with the manifesto of the party. Seconding the motion, former Anambra State governor, Chief Jim Nwobodo, who acknowledged “his brother and friend” Sule Lamido, corroborated “It is difficult to change a winning tean. You dont change a winning team, they have done so well therefore I support the motion that Dr Jonathan be adopted as our sole candidate.” However in his opening remarks, the national chairman of the party, Dr. Adamu Mu’azu, said ahead of the party’s national convention, the main business will be the nomination of our party flag bearer but “that with the endorsement today Jonathan will be our candidate.” He also noted that there will be a minor amendment to the party’s constitution. The national chairman however reiterated that party primaries will be free and fair, adding “we must show good results through transparent primaries so that others will follow. We must do things right always, no halve measures or cutting of corners.” Mu’azu noted that the party will by October 15, a chairman’s dinner will hold to raise funds for the completion of the party’s Headquarters and for its primaries
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 09:30:42 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015