Barely 24 hours after the governors forum of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) adopted President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2015 election, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party has also endorsed him as the party’s sole presidential candidate.
The decision was announced at a NEC meeting chaired by Adamu Mua’zu, the national chairman of the party, and attended by Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark; his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu; and deputy speaker of the federal house of representatives, Emeka Ihedioha.
The decision puts a question mark on the party’s announcement on Wednesday that its presidential primary would hold on December 6, 2014.
Governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido, who stayed away from the meeting of the PDP governors on Wednesday, was present at Thursday’s NEC meeting.
Advertisement
Lamido, known to be interested in contesting the 2015 presidential election, did not oppose the endorsement.
“All the governors of the PDP have unanimously declared President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole presidential candidate of the party in the 2015 general elections,” the party said in a brief statement afterwards.
“Governor of Niger state, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, addressed NEC minutes ago on behalf of all the governors of the party, also assured that the PDP will win back its mandate lost in Rivers, Kano, Sokoto, and Kwara States as a result of the defection.”
Advertisement
Despite Wednesday’s and Thursday’s endorsements, Jonathan is yet to officially declare interest in seeking reelection.
2 comments
Good decision from eminent nigerians. Goodluck will make nigerians proud any where any day
When do we stop this subservient sycophancy? Gen. Babangida in his day was the only man the ‘civilian cap’ fitted before he eventually stepped aside. Abacha’s ‘tazarche’ (continuity) later emerged to sustain his ascendancy to the democratic stool, but unfortunately, he passed on. Obasanjo’s foot soldiers orchestrated ‘third term’ agenda to keep their political Idol in power perpetually. The bid failed sooner.
I have been watching the body language of the Nigerian Politicians, especially those occupying positions and I knew President Jonathan would eventually emerged as their ‘Mr. Right’ for 2015! This is the man the party men moved against from taking over from his principal when he died in 2010- after they had kept him away from his view for close to six months! Today, he is the ‘sole candidate’ of the party. One wonders how Nigerian politicians reason. I was in Uyo few months back; when I saw the infrastructural warfare of Gov. Akpabio on the State, I concluded he is the best candidate for Nigeria 2015 project. The same Governor today led a pack of other Gubers to anoint GEJ as the best performer that can lead Nigerians farther to the promise land come 2015.
I have no opposition to their propositions, but I believed Nigeria should have outgrown this mentality after democratic trials spanning over 15years. Nigerians should make the choice of who leads them, not the ruling Governors that are equally jostling for slots in the Senate, or at least Ministerial stool come 2015.
God is watching O.