‘The PDP Is One, United Party Behind Jonathan’

FROM the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday came strong reaction to a statement credited to the National Security Adviser, Gen. Oweye Azazi, to the effect that the Boko Haram menace was triggered by a crack within the ranks of the PDP.

A statement signed by Metuh dismissed the reports, which blamed the Party for the current security challenges in the country, describing it as “a very poor reflection of the foundation and the internal workings of the Party as well as a wrong deduction on the roots of security challenges in the country.”

Metuh said that, contrary to assertions by Azazi, the PDP had remained the strongest catalyst for the unity and progress of the country.

He argued that equity, fairness and all-inclusiveness had been the cardinal operative principles of the party since formation. According to him, the spread of all the offices in the Party, as well as in the Federal Government, which it has been controlling, “are firm demonstration that the PDP is a sure vehicle for every Nigerian to seek and realise political ambition notwithstanding the hindrances of tribe and religion.”

“We wish to state without any ambiguity that our great Party remains the only political party in Nigeria that is not owned by any ethnic group, person or group of persons. All Nigerians are equal stakeholders. All our special National Conventions for the election of our Presidential flag bearers since 1998 have seen candidates emerge on the strength of National unity, a common motif which envisages that every section of the country, majority or minority can aspire to the highest political office in our fatherland via a well entrenched rotation and zoning principle in the constitution of our party.”

According to the statement, the 2010 presidential primaries of the PDP through which President Goodluck Jonathan emerged was an acid test that proved the founding fathers of the PDP as true architects of national unity.

“We wish to added, the statement continued, that President Jonathan emerged with overwhelming votes of delegates from every state in the country, a feat that was again repeated in April 2011 general elections which of course, have been adjudged the best in our recent history. It is therefore a comment in grave error, a fatal diagnosis of facts for anyone to insinuate or directly assert that a section of the membership of the PDP or its foundation predisposes that only a certain section and not others will aspire to the highest office in the country.”

The statement added that “without fear of contradiction, the PDP is one and truly united in its support for President Goodluck Jonathan who by carriage and personal example has remained the father of all.”

The PDP also said that the issue of insecurity predated the ascension of Dr. Jonathan to the office of the President of Nigeria. “While through the military and civilian administrations hitherto, the nation witnessed eruptions of religious violence, the Boko Haram insurgency which itself predated the tenure of the current President is only different in sophistication which again is aligned to the sophistication in this ugly global trend of violence.” The statement further said the PDP has been in the vanguard of the crusade against all forms of violence. “The PDP is the only political party that has been entrenching an unambiguous clause against violence in all its electoral guidelines and examples abound of our members who have been disqualified from participating in elections for attempting violence.”

“Our Party will not relent in seeking an end to the scourge of violent attacks in the country and will continue to encourage the security agencies to do their best in the interest of the nation. However, it is important for us to advise appointees of government to navigate on only on the terrain where their authority will not be humbled by superior knowledge so as to avoid attracting undeserving and unnecessary ill feelings for their principal. The PDP as a Party will not cease supporting and assisting the National Security Adviser in as much as he remains focused in this job of securing the lives and property of Nigerians.

-Guardian

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