Nigerians Are Concerned PDP Crisis Will Have Adverse Effects On The Country, Says Jonathan

FROM LEFT: VICE PRESIDENT NAMADI SAMBO; PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN AND PDP CHAIRMAN, ADAMU MU'AZU, WAVING TO THE CROWD DURING  DECAMPING CEREMONY OF ATTAHIRU BAFARAWA FROM APC TO PDP IN SOKOTO ON SATURDAY (8/2/14).
FROM LEFT: VICE PRESIDENT NAMADI SAMBO; PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN AND PDP CHAIRMAN, ADAMU MU’AZU, WAVING TO THE CROWD DURING DECAMPING CEREMONY OF ATTAHIRU BAFARAWA FROM APC TO PDP IN SOKOTO ON SATURDAY (8/2/14).

President Goodluck Jonathan has said that PDP will work to lead Nigeria to greatness.

Jonathan spoke in Sokoto on Saturday at a grand reception organised for a former governor of the state, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, who defected to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with his supporters from All Progressive Congress, APC.

Jonathan stated that the ruling party remained the symbol of democracy in the country and that Nigerians, including religious leaders, business leaders, men and women who are not partisan politicians, believe in the party.

He added that if Nigeria was practising parliamentary system of government, he would have called for early elections to prove that the APC was merely engaging in propaganda that it is the party to beat as a result of the recent defection of some PDP bigwig to its fold.

The President said, “I was telling some people when we were coming this morning (Saturday) and I saw the crowd, that if we were running a parliamentary system, where the prime minister can call for early elections, I would have called for early elections.

“Let us see where this noise is coming from, whether they are supported. Some people are afraid to go back and contest the seats because in a normal setting, if a parliamentarian leaves his seat and crosses to another party, the assumption is that you have consulted with your constituency and they agreed that you should cross over.

“Such a parliamentarian would want to call for early elections to show that he is going with his constituency, but in Nigeria, the story is different”.

While listing the enviable achievements of his administration in education, agriculture, power and road construction, Jonathan disclosed that after Sokoto, the team would also go to Imo, Kano and all the geo-political zones to showcase the party’s achievements to the people.

He added that Nigerians get jittery when they hear the challenges the party is facing “because the feeling is that if anything happens to PDP, it will affect the country.”

“The reasons are obvious; PDP is the only party that is stable and it will continue to uphold the tenets of democracy.

“The PDP respects the rule of law at all levels and we respect the constitution”, he said.

Jonathan said PDP was the number one party in Nigeria and would continue to be so.

He further said that the Federal Government under the party would continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians.

Jonathan commended the people of the state for their sustained support for PDP and urged them not to relent.

He commiserated with the people and government of the state over the recent fire disaster at Kara Market in Sokoto.

Also, Vice-President Namadi Sambo and Senate President David Mark expressed happiness with the defection of Bafarawa to the party.

“The PDP umbrella is getting filled up and the PDP will sustain the provision of the dividends of democracy to Nigerians”, Sambo promised.

The National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, described PDP as the winning party.

“The achievements of the PDP are tangible all over the nation and this would be sustained”, Mu’azu said.

The Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, said that no amount of conspiracy would stop PDP from winning the elections at all levels in 2015.

The Sokoto State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mukhtari Shagari, said PDP was the most organised, disciplined and resourceful party in Nigeria.

“The achievements of the PDP in the state and Nigeria generally speak for themselves.

“The president loves Nigeria and he has demonstrated this love in many ways”, Shagari said.

Bafarawa said that he defected to PDP, following the decision of his supporters and promised that Sokoto State would be delivered to PDP at all levels in 2015.

“We will work to ensure the success of the party. We joined the PDP based on principle, to build democracy and Nigeria”, Bafarawa, said.

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