Plot against PDP’ll crumble – Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan in Kaduna on Tuesday boasted that the plot by opposition politicians against the ruling Peoples Democratic Party would fail. Jonathan, at a unity rally organised by the North-West PDP in Kaduna, recalled that in 1999 when “two or three political parties’’ formed an alliance against the PDP, “they didn’t go anywhere.” He said, “We are told that some people are ganging up in different ways but we assure you that we are not afraid. “From 1999 there were two or three parties that came together. They didn’t go anywhere. If they gang up now, they will crash. “I used to tell people that if you put different oil in a container; different types of acid in a container, what will come out from the content of that is disaster. So the plot will not work. Don’t be worried;it is not a new thing. “Look at great parties all over the world. They don’t change every day like a rock that is metamorphosing. See the African National Congress in South Africa which is about 200 years old. It is older than Nigeria but it has never changed its name. “ The PDP has never changed its name. It is the leading party in Africa and it can lead us to where we want to go. The party is the only democratic party where you can rise to the highest level. Other parties will not give you and I the opportunity to move to where we want to go. So continue to support and be in the PDP.” But the opposition All Progressives Congress flayed the President, saying he missed the point by attempting to compare the PDP with the ANC. The APC, through its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Jonathan should realise that the circumstances surrounding the formation of the ANC and the PDP were completely different. It said, “The circumstances surrounding the ANC is different from that of the PDP. The ANC went through a struggle against apartheid and all through that period it did not betray the people of South Africa. “That is why it has remained ANC over the years. The PDP on the other hand, has betrayed the Nigerian people since it was formed 16 years ago. “Nigerians know under which party the Boko Haram menace has festered; they know under which party the electricity situation has worsened; and they also know which party has wasted public resources. So, all this rhetoric cannot help him(Jonathan) and his party.” The President also said at the rally that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, absented himself, that the PDP was the only dominant party in the country. He told the gathering that the party would in 2015 win in Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states which make up the North-West. He enjoined the people to be committed to the party because their zone was “special” not only to the PDP but to the political equation of the country. Jonathan said, “The North-West is a special zone. It is the only zone that we have seven states and the zone that has the highest population in this country. So this zone is special. “We are here for a unity rally and to reassure all of you that the PDP is the only party that can lead this country to the next level. “The PDP remains stable and formidable for the development of this nation. Let me tell all Nigerians and the rest of the world that the PDP is still the dominant party and this zone is still under the control of the PDP. Come 2015, the PDP is going to retain this zone. “ We have Kaduna and Jigawa states and we will continue to retain Katsina State. We will continue to retain Kebbi State. Kano State is a PDP state. “Some people think that they can steal Kano State from the PDP but with people who are re-joining us, we will take the state back. Kano State will surely come back to the PDP. The same thing with Sokoto State. The PDP wants Sokoto State and with those joining us today, we will take over the state. “The other state that has never been a PDP state is Zamfara. They are our friends and will join us.” Jonathan had while being received by a team of traditional rulers from the North-West led by the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, described Kaduna as a very tough state. He commended the traditional rulers for their support in ending the crisis in the state. The President said, “Kaduna is a very tough state which you know more than I do. “Ordinarily, Kaduna would have been one of these states converted to a lake of fire but for your cooperation with the government.” The rally was attended by Governors Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Usman Dankingari(Kebbi); Godswill Akpabio(Akwa Ibom), Ibrahim Shema(Katsina); Mukhtar Yero(Kaduna), Ibrahim Shema(Katsina); Ibrahim Dankwambo(Gombe); Theodore Orji(Abia); and Seraike Dickson((Bayelsa).
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 06:38:03 +0000
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