2015: President Jonathan keeps mum as South-East PDP requests him to run

The Custodian April 12, 2014

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan, on Friday, maintained sealed lips on his political ambition ahead of the 2015 Presidential election.

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South-East had at a unity rally held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu requested the President to seek for a second term in 2015.

The zone said their request was necessary to enable Jonathan consolidate on his achievements and complete his transformation agenda.

However, in a response to the request, President Jonathan merely took note of the demand and said, “the answer will come later”.

He said, “We are here to tell the rest of the world that PDP is the number one party in Nigeria, we have not seen number two, let alone rival; there is no rival political party”.

“In the South-East, we have seen that there is no problem; in South-East, PDP is total, it is clear that South-East is a PDP zone; from today onwards, PDP will take over all the South-East, we have been magnanimous enough, now it is total, total, total”, he said emphatically.

The President continued that “PDP is the only democratic party that can take Nigeria to join the rest of the democratic world, the party that will not impose candidates; the party that your work will speak for you, the only party that people like me from unknown background will stand here as President; the only party where you will have a say.

“PDP is the only party recognized outside this country; they only know PDP and what they say is PDP and other parties, they don’t even know the names of the other parties.

 “It is the only party that can change our economy, the only party that can create wealth for our people.

Apparently referring to the All Progressives Congress, APC, President Jonathan said, “somebody will come and say they are progressives and you begin to ask how progressive are they where you cannot win a councilor or chairmanship election unless your brother is the dictator; where you are a maximum dictator and you are a progressive? Progressive to where? Progressive to hell or to where?”

Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum and Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji had in his speech prevailed on the President to go for a second tenure and complete all the projects he started in the South-East.

Orji, who reeled out the President’s achievements so far, urged him to run for second term and commission the second Niger Bridge as well as the International wing of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

All the speakers, including the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, toed the same path.

Also, Governor Sullivan Chime who kick started the request said, “the essence of this rally is very simple; our people have been meeting at various level of our party- the ward, the local government and at the state level.

“They have come up with two requests. The first request is that Mr. President as one of us, as somebody who has identified with this zone, should run for presidency in 2015.

“The second request is that should not disappoint us by saying no; that is why we are here, that you should not say no to the first request”, Chime stated.

The National Vice Chairman of the PDP remarked, “Mr. President, your glaring performance and that of the PDP governors from the Southeast, have not only convinced our people that there is no credible alternative to moving our great country forward than our party PDP, but have given them the confidence that with PDP at the national and state levels their welfare and well being are guaranteed”.

He maintained, “Our genuine zeal to re-launch the party on a new part of rebirth has not been in doubt. The stautus of the southeast zone as a total PDP territory since 1999 has never been in question. We assure Mr. President that come 2015, the southeast will deliver to PDP wholly”.

Among the dignitaries at the rally included- Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, PDP national chairman, Adamu Mu’Azu, PDP BoT chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, among others.

PDP Governors Forum was led to the event by its chairman, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State.