President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday said only the Peoples Democratic Party could save Nigerians despite the challenges facing the party.
Jonathan stated this in Sokoto State during a grand rally and reception organised for a former governor of the state, Attahiru Bafarawa, who defected to the PDP from the All Progressives Congress with his supporters.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, was however conspicuously absent at the rally attended by Vice-President Namadi Sambo; President of the Senate, David Mark; the state deputy governor, Murktar Shagari, top government and party officials.
The state governor, Aliyu Wamako, had recently defected to the APC alongside four other former PDP governors.
Jonathan stated that PDP 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 PDP was still in control despite the gale of defections it was experiencing.
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 feats achieved by 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. It has undergone its changes. Other parties are still changing, we don’t know where they will change to but PDP is stable at all levels and we promise that PDP will continue to give leadership at all levels.
“PDP is the only party that has the vision to lead this country to stability and economic revolution,” he stated.
Vice-President Sambo commended Bafarawa for his bold initiative in joining the PDP with his large followers.
“The umbrella will soon be filled up, those wishing to join should better do so on time,” he said.
National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Muazu, said the PDP remained the party to beat in the country in the next 60 years.
In his remark, Bafarawa said he was led into joining the fold of the PDP on the instruction of his people.
He assured the President that as far as Sokoto was concerned, he should “go to sleep.”
He said, “Mr. President, I don’t want to tell you too many stories. As far as Sokoto is concerned, you can go and sleep. You don’t have any problem. We have been winning the elections; we have been rigged out and manipulated out.
“Today, we are back to the mainstream of PDP; there is no other party that will get even a councillor seat in Sokoto, except PDP. This is a message I’m delivering on behalf of my people and the entire people of Sokoto State.”
Meanwhile, on Saturday, newly appointed National Director (Contact and Mobilisation) for Goodluck Support Group, Mr. Perry Opara, said ahead of the 2015 general elections, over 3, 200 groups had indicated interest to organise rallies for the re-election of the President.
Opara, who is a PDP chieftain said, “For a long time, we have discovered that some of the people in government and in the present administration are not reaching out to Nigerians and telling them what the government is doing and its achievements.
“We were called to work at the hub of the Presidency and we have been there for over two years. As I speak, over 3, 200 groups have indicated interest to organise rallies and conferences for the President’s second term, for which he has the right, if he so desires.”
While describing the threat by the All Progressives Congress to take over power from PDP as an old threat, Opara said the planned rallies would win more support for Jonathan.
He said, “I assure you there would be rallies in support of President Jonathan, after the rallies, you will see the opposition reduced to 35 per cent.”
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