PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan is ready to take on whoever the opposition presents in the forthcoming presidential election on a debate on his performance and effort at preserving the peace and unity of the country.
National publicity secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, made this declaration in response to a question during the press conference he addressed in Abuja, on Tuesday, on the preparation for the national convention of the party, which kicks off today.
He warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) that President Jonathan would inflict a crushing defeat on anyone the opposition party fields in the presidential election.
Metuh said President Jonathan was set to win the election, irrespective of who the opposition decided to present.
He advised the opposition to desist from propaganda, insults and name calling and focus on policies and programmes in its campaign.
The PDP spokesman said in spite of the present insecurity challenge never witnessed in the history of the country, Jonathan had managed to record significant strides that he would showcase to the electorate.
He noted that beyond engendering infrastructure development, creating the biggest economy in Africa, the president had been able to stabilise the polity, preserve the peace and unity of the country at a time, he observed, it was seriously threatened.
“The PDP is rest assured that we have a very good product to sell to Nigerians. We are confident that President Jonathan, as our candidate, is primed to win the 2015 presidential election based on his popularity as a result of his forthrightness, humility and steadfastness to the Nigerian project, coupled with his record of verifiable achievements.
“We are today serving notice to the opposition APC to expect a crushing defeat at the polls. In view of our confidence, preparedness and the popularity of our candidate, we declare that the APC can put forth its two frontline aspirants in one bunch, namely General Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as joint presidential candidates with their collective credentials and followership to face our candidate, President Jonathan.
“For us in the PDP, it is neither a matter of conjecture nor propaganda; we are certain that with the grassroots support and the love he enjoys from Nigerians across board, President Jonathan will secure an emphatic victory at the poll,” he said.
Metuh also spoke about the president’s restraint in dealing with Boko Haram insurgency, noting that when he came under pressure from some quarters to declare total emergency by dismantling democratic structures in the North-East, he thought differently.
“Instead of reacting in ways that could damage the trust and love of Nigerians for one another, the president has acted more on the side of caution by ensuring that actions to defeat terrorism are carefully thought-out and pursued,” he said.
Metuh revealed that a total of 3,073 party delegates are expected to cast their votes to elect President Jonathan, to confirm him as the presidential candidate of the party in next year’s election.
Also to be elected are the national chairman of the party, Dr Adamu Mu’azu; national secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo and the national auditor, Adewale Adeyanj, all of whom came on board the National Working Committee (NWC) in acting capacity.
On the issue of Mrs Akasoba Duke-Abiola, who is insisting on contesting the presidential primaries with President Jonathan, the party spokesman asserted that nobody would stop her from the convention, as long as she satisfied the party guidelines.
However, he noted that Duke-Abiola spurned the opportunity to pick the party’s presidential expression of interest and nomination forms, in spite of all entreaties made to her, following her earlier claims that she had been denied the forms.
No comments:
Post a Comment