For the first time
in the history of the ruling party in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) has adopted its sitting president as sole candidate ahead
of a general election.
Recall that former
vice-president; Alex Ekwueme lost the party presidential convention to Chief
Olusegun Obasanjo at the convention held in Jos ahead of 1999 general
elections.
Obasanjo was
returned as presidential candidate in 2003 having defeated the late governor of
Kano State, Abubakar Rimi. Also, the late Umaru Yar’Adua defeated the incumbent
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha to emerge the party’s candidate in December
2006 at the convention held at Eagles Square, Abuja.
At the
66th NEC meeting of the party yesterday in Abuja, leaders of the party adopted
President Jonathan as the PDP candidate for the 2015 presidential election.
Niger State
Governor and Chairman, Northern States Governors’ Forum, Babangida Aliyu set
the ball rolling when he presented the communique of the party’s governors
taken on Wednesday night at Akwa Ibom State Governor’s Lodge, adopting Dr
Jonathan as sole presidential candidate.
Governor Aliyu’s
mild drama asking his Jigawa counterpart, Sule Lamido to stand up for
recognition before presenting the stance of the party governors to the
NEC elicited laughter and banters.
Aliyu had said:
“The PDP governors have decided to endorse Mr. President as sole candidate.
“It was taken
without reservations, it was unanimous. We shall go into this election as a
united front, to win more states than we have now. We have agreed to win back
our mandate in Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa, Kwara and Rivers states.”
Former deputy
national chairman (South-West) of the party, Shuiab Oyedokun, equally presented
the position of another strategic organ of the party, the Board of Trustees
(BoT) adopting Dr. Jonathan as sole candidate.
Checks revealed
that Akwa-Ibom State Governor and chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Godswill
Akpabio, had after the meeting of the governors on Wednesday, presented their
communique to the Board of Trustees, which also met same day.
Senate President
and chairman of the National Assembly Caucus, David Mark spoke in similar vein
as he noted that the decision taken by the governors and supported by the BoT
was laudable, as it would outlive the party.
The motion for
adoption by the NEC was moved by former national chairman of the party, Dr.
Haliru Bello and seconded by former governor of Anambra State in the Second
Republic, Chief Jim Nwabodo.
In his opening
remarks, an elated national chairman of the party, Adamu Mu’azu declared
that “with the endorsement today, President Jonathan will be our sole
candidate.”
Addressing the
party chieftains, President Jonathan, who thanked the governors, members of
caucus of the party and the Board of Trustees, which initiated his adoption
said he was overwhelmed by their support.
“Events of
yesterday (Wednesday) and what has happened today, accepting me as sole
candidate has humbled me. I am totally overwhelmed by this action
initiated by our governors. Let me particularly thank NEC, because if it
doesn’t adopt you, you are on your own.”
Briefing State
House correspondents, earlier after the BoT meeting, Prof Jerry Gana alongside
the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and PDP BoT Secretary, Walid Jibril,
at the end of the meeting, noted that the endorsement of the president as PDP’s
sole candidate for the 2015 presidential race was unanimously done by members
of the Board with a standing ovation. This was after the chairman of the PDP
Governor’s Forum and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, briefed them
that PDP governors had unanimously endorsed Jonathan as the party’s sole
candidate for 2015.
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