2015: S’East Govs Beg Jonathan To Re-Contest As Nigeria’s President

PDP RALLY: PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan (left) and PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu (right) during the South-East PDP rally held in Enugu, Friday. Photo: Henry Unini

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Nigeria’s South East geopolitical zone, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to re-contest for a second term in 2015 assuring him of their unanimous and unwavering support.

The backup for President Jonathan took effect at a Unity Rally of the PDP South East zone held at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, on Friday, April 11, 2014 when the party’s stakeholders, including the Chairman of the South East Governors Forum and Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji and other South East governors called on President Jonathan to re-contest the presidential poll in 2015.

from left; Governor’s Godswill Akpabio of Akwa-Ibom, Theodore Orji of Abia, Sullivan Chime of Enugu, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and Martin Elechi of Ebonyi states respectively during the South-East PDP rally held in Enugu, Friday.

Addressing the rally, Governor Orji said that President Jonathan had performed very well to deserve a second term in office and should heed the call by the South East to seek re-election.

In response to the request made by the South East PDP chieftains, President Jonathan assured Nigerians and the Southeasterners in particular that he would never disappoint them, saying that he was yet to formerly declare whether to run or not.

He urged Igbo people to support the PDP, saying, “The PDP would not disappoint you.”

He said the PDP was the only democratic party that could take Nigeria to join the rest of the democratic world.

“It is the only party where the President would not impose a candidate. It is the only party where people like me from a non-privileged background can stand here and talk,” he said.

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan (right) and Vice President Namadi Sambo (left) during the South-East PDP rally

The President vowed that the PDP would capture Imo State in 2015 and complete the circle in the South-East.

“In the South-East, the PDP is total. Every state has a maximum of three senators and a minimum of three senators. It is now clear the South-East is a PDP zone.

“We will take over the governorship seat of the other state in the South-East come 2015. We have been very magnanimous but we are going to clear the seats totally,” the boasted.

Jonathan said the PDP is the only political platform in Nigeria where the voice of the people could count and decisions were taken based on the majority and popular vote.

“We are not like one party in this country where one man or a group of people determine how the party is run,” he said. “The national chairman of the PDP or any of its governors can’t cancel a ward congress of the party just like that and with impunity. I, as the President, don’t even have the powers to do so, but it is happening in a political party in this country.”

PDP RALLY: PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan (left) and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (right) during the South-East PDP rally held in Enugu, Friday. Photo: Henry Unini

According to him, he does not see anything ‘progressive’ about some of the opposition political parties.

“One party tags itself as progressives but where are they progressing to. It is only in such progressive party that you find an ex-governor determining who gets what and how. Is that what you mean by progressives?”

Also in his speech, the Senate President, David Mark, urged the President to ignore criticisms of his government and remain focus in the transformation programme of his government, urging him not to be distracted by criticisms, as they would only make him better.