President Goodluck Jonathan received a Vote of Confidence by the PDP NEC. In a speech to his party men, Mr President emphasized that some defected Governors may not win their wards in 2015.
“Party members should not be afraid. When some governors moved and some National Assembly members moved, some people thought they would soon overrun the PDP, but when I looked across, from my privileged vantage position, I didn’t really see the threat.”
“I told the national chairman to let us organise national unity rallies, to demonstrate our strength, so that people will know that though one or two persons were leaving, they are inconsequential. I’m not even sure they can win their wards in any election now, because some of those states are totally PDP states.
As you leave, you think you would be leaving with the whole state, by the time you get there, you’ll discover that others stayed back and are continuing with the PDP. Some of the governors are even afraid to conduct local government elections now.”, Jonathan said
The President further stressed:”PDP is still solid, it’s still the dominant party, and surely, this party will win the next elections, free and fair. In terms of people decamping, the trend is also changing. At a time the whole thing was stalemated, but now more people are even coming to the PDP because if you really want to play politics, the party to join is PDP. Our democratic credentials go unchallenged.
It’s still the only party where you can become a candidate based on free and fair primaries. It’s the party where we don’t impose candidates on constituencies. It is the party whose candidates are accepted by the constituencies at various levels, including senatorial, state level, House of Representatives or state assemblies.
And I believe that with this position of the party, we’ll continue to dominate the political landscape of this country. PDP is still the only party that has never changed its name, logo etc. when you go abroad they can’t remember the names of the other parties due to the level of mutation”
Praising the PDP governors, the President said: “Another group of people that I must specially appreciate is our governors, the PDP governors. You know the Nigeria Governors Forum, there were some challenges that came up and PDP governors became very strong.
Even though some people left us but we are not noticing their absence because of the leadership and commitment shown by Governor Akpabio, the chairman of PDP and Governor Jang, the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and other members of the Governors Forum from the PDP.”
The President also praised the leadership of the National Assembly for their loyalty and commitment to the programmes of the party pointing out that it is now clear the National Assembly is a PDP National Assembly.
“Another segment that really needs my appreciation openly here, is the Senate President, the chairman of the National Assembly and members of the National Assembly. At a time, we had issues in the National Assembly and PDP members were beginning to get worried.
He also assured that all measures needed to be taken by government to tackle the challenges of insecurity and terrorism were being taken pointing out that the Boko Haram terrorist group and other criminal elements would soon be defeated.
“And let me join the chairman to say that this is not a very good time for us. I assure our party that we are taking up those challenges. Perhaps as a society there were certain things we left undone, and now we’re facing the reality.
I assure you that those issues of equipment, and other things for the military, we are handling them. God willing, these challenges of Boko haram, and other criminal elements, will soon come to be history in Nigeria. While contending with the security challenges, we’re still totally committed to our developmental programmes based on the party manifesto. Most PDP states are doing well. Security challenges are less in the PDP states, due to the commitment of the governors. “
In a remark earlier, PDP national chairman, Ahmadu Adamu Muazu, expressed delight that some of the members of the party who defected last year were returning to it.
In a statement at the end of the meeting and signed by the party’s national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh, it was also resolved that the party’s mid term convention be held after the Muslim fasting that would begin at the end of this month.
The statement titled “Resolutions of the 65th Meeting of the NEC of the PDP June 5, 2014” reads:
“The 65th meeting of the NEC of the PDP held on June 5, 2014 at the National Secretariat of the Party.
The meeting was attended by the President, Vice President, members of the National Assembly, PDP governors and other members of the NEC.
The meeting considered various national issues and arrived at the following resolutions:
•NEC considered and adopted corrections to errors noticed in the 2012 amended constitution of the party. NEC effected all corrections accordingly and in consistent with the motion of amendment moved and carried at the 2012 national convention.
•NEC also debated on the proposal to hold the PDP National Convention according to the provisions of the constitution of the party and resolved to hold same after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
•NEC unanimously passed an overwhelming vote of confidence on President Jonathan and particularly praised the decisive steps so far taken to contain insurgency in the country.
•In keeping with the resolution to return the party to the people, NEC laid emphasis on the slogan of the PDP, which is power to the people and advised all party members to note this at all party events nationwide.”
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