Former President, Goodluck
Jonathan, has warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members not to make the
mistake of making wrong choice of National Working Committee (NWC) members at
the December convention.
Jonathan spoke when he received
an aspirant for the party’s national chairmanship position, Chief Raymond Dokpesi,
in his residence in Abuja on Tuesday.
He cautioned that the party could
not afford to make mistake in choosing its next national chairman and publicity
secretary, describing them as “very delicate positions’’.
“This time around we need a very
courageous and vocal person to be the chairman.
“There are two positions that we
must not make mistake on – the positions of the national chairman and that of
the national publicity secretary, because I have worn the shoes before and I
know where it pinches.
“If we make a mistake as a party
and elect wrong chairman and publicity secretary, we are finished,” Jonathan
said.
He said that PDP at this moment,
needed courageous chairman, who in the face of persecution, would remain
courageous to protect the party’s interest and defend democracy.
“We need very competent person
and a team player, somebody who will not negotiate to get money from the
aspirants to make them candidates.
“If you do that, you have
destroyed the party because a party must come up with programmes and policies
that will elect the best of the best.
“If you present the best
material, the chances of your wining election are stronger than when you
present a wrong material.
“We need such kind of chairman
that will galvanise the national committee and also link up with state
committees and do the best for the party.
“This is key so that by 2019 when
we go for the general elections, PDP will have majority in the states and
national assemblies and of course, PDP must win the presidency,” he said.
Jonathan, who said that the
December convention would be keenly contested, urged chairmanship aspirants to
see the exercise as a family affair.
“Whatever comes out, as faithful
loyalists of the party, you should accept it. So, whoever is going to contest
should have that in mind.
“Recently, I read that you met
with one of the aspirants; that is a good spirit; no victor no vanquished. The
winner must be PDP and not an individual.”
According to the former
president, PDP must migrate from the ruling party to opposition for the purpose
of stabilising the country’s democracy.
“I am not saying that as an
opposition party you must been saying anything you like, no. PDP is a very
mature party.
“We will not go to the quarter
and criticise anyhow but all over the world, the opposition party checkmates
the ruling party so that things are done properly, so that there will not be
impunity.
“If the opposition party goes to
sleep, the ruling party can do anything it likes,” Jonathan added.
He, however, commended the Sen.
Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the party, saying that they
had done very well, especially during the period of crisis in the party.
Jonathan prayed for Dokpesi in
his aspiration to become PDP chairman and described him as “a member who has
done well for the party’’.
He said that Dokpesi had used his
resources to support the party, and “has shown so much commitment to the
affairs of the party.”
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