Anenih Asks Jonathan To Declare His 2015 Intention By October

Mr. Jonathan says the party will soon overcome its present challenges, saying the the PDP remains the only party of influence in the country.

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Tony Anenih, has advised President Goodluck Jonathan to declare his intention for the 2015 presidential election on or before the end of October this year.

Mr. Anenih stated this at the post-convention dinner held at the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa.

The politician said such a decision was necessary to give the party a proper direction and set the agenda straight as the party, for the first time has embarked on discussing its future.

“It is no longer right to say the time is not right,” Mr. Anenih told PDP leaders at the dinner also attended by Mr. Jonathan.

“It is good that we tell our people where we going to, what our journey will be like,” he said in reference to Mr. Jonathan’s 2015 ambition.

President Jonathan has said he would focus on governance and would not state his position on 2015 yet although many of his aides have begun drumming support for him. The president’s planned re-election bid is believed to be the major factor that has split the PDP into two factions.

Sunday’s dinner had earlier been scheduled to hold immediately after the special convention of the party, but was overtaken by the split the party witnessed during its special convention, when seven serving governors and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar stormed out and later formed a parallel PDP led by Abubakar Baraje.

In apparent reference to the current reconciliation efforts, Mr. Anenih said the task ahead was enormous; adding that “we must be seen as a team not as a group”.

He assured that despite its problems, the party would settle all disputes adding that “We will not fire any shot but we will win the war”.

The PDP leader, who alongside other leaders, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has been trying to resolve the crisis, said the party “will not recognise opposition within PDP”.

“We will work together as a team so that by 2015 we will come here again to shake hands.
“We stand for unity and discipline. Nobody will be spared if he behaves out of indiscipline. We will do everything to bring everybody together”, he said.

Jonathan speaks
In his speech, President Jonathan assured that despite some disagreements within the party , it had remained intact.
PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that the dinner was boycotted by Mr. Obasanjo, Mr. Abubakar, and the seven aggrieved governors.

Expressing happiness with the turnout of guests including former chairmen and other party chieftains, Mr. Jonathan described those with grievances as minor, assuring that all will be resolved.

He declared that the dinner was a fulfilment of his commitment to create more opportunities for periodic meeting for interaction among party members at all levels.

The President assured the newly elected National Working Committee members of the party of his support and reiterated the need to work as a team.

“In any human institutions there must be disagreements. What happened (the factional PDP) is a minor disagreement that can be solved,” he said while thanking elders and governors of the party that are making efforts to resolve the crisis.

Mr. Jonathan said the PDP had the support of Nigerians and nobody wanted to see it disintegrated.
“Even ordinary Nigerians believe PDP must remain one because is the only party that can continue to give leadership.

“Even those that are aggrieved call themselves the new PDP meaning they know without PDP they are nothing.

“PDP is intact, that we have some disagreements is normal. PDP is intact and will remain intact.

“We will make sure that the party remains one, those who left will rejoin us.

“It is only PDP that has not changed name or form. We will do out best to keep PDP one, to keep Nigeria one,” the president said.

Sambo, Akpabio speak
Vice President Namadi Sambo, in his speech, said the PDP has always provided leadership for others to emulate.

The Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, noted that Nigeria faced major challenges in the past and did not break up and that the country would not break up under President Jonathan.

“We want Nigerians to challenge us on performance not on the pages of newspapers.

“We want to assure you there is no faction in the PDP, what we are seeing today is just a storm in a tea cup.

“If you want to step out of the party you are free, this is the only party you can leave and return and become a national party chairman.

“The people are not with those who do not respect constituted authority. Those who do not respect authority will not get authority