Should President Goodluck
Jonathan make public his desire
to contest a second term in
office, he would be subjected to
a party primary in accordance
with the Peoples Democratic
Party's constitution, the party
insisted on Friday.
It was gathered in Abuja that
although there were no plans by
the party to amend its
constitution to accommodate
automatic tickets, there were
attempts to tinker with the
constitution during the special-
convention of the party on August
31, 2013. The party, however,
shelved the plan when aggrieved
governors of the party staged a
walk-out of the convention.
The constitution of the Peoples
Democratic Party 2009 (as
amended) empowers the National
Executive Committee to formulate
guidelines and regulations for the
nomination of candidates.
However, Article 17.2 of the
Constitution stipulates that:
"Notwithstanding the provisions
of Article 12 of this Constitution,
the National Executive Committee
shall regulate the procedure for
selecting the party's candidates
for elective offices in the following
manner: a. In the conduct of
primaries for the party's
candidate for the post of the
President of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria, the primary shall be
held at the National Convention
of the party specially convened
for that purpose."
A very reliable source in the
ruling party said that an
automatic ticket for Jonathan
would be almost impossible .
According to the source who
pleaded anonymity because he
was not authorised to speak on
the matter, giving an automatic
ticket to the President should he
decide to contest in 2015 would
further divide the party.
The source said, "The issue of
automatic ticket for the President
does not arise even though it has
been discussed in the party
before. Some of the President's
loyalists want it but this party has
a constitution. It is when a party
does not have a constitution that
you will be talking about such
issues. As of today, the party's
constitution has not changed."
When contacted, the Deputy
National Publicity Secretary of the
party, Abdullahi Jalo, also said
giving Jonathan an automatic
ticket was not feasible.
He said, "The party is doing
everything possible to assure its
supporters that their interests
will be accommodated. The party
has no intention whatsoever to
victimise anybody. The party is
focused on resolving the minor
disagreements within the party
and bringing about a lasting
peace.
"If you listened to what the
National Chairman, Bamanga
Tukur, himself said in London,
recently, it confirms that
consultations are still going on,
especially with our aggrieved
members. Our main
preoccupation now is the
restoration of peace in our party.
"And we are hopeful that our
internal problems will be resolved
sooner than our detractors
expect. Our situation is not
beyond repairs. The party and
Mr. President are committed
more than ever to resolve all the
issues."
Calls made to the National
Publicity Secretary of the PDP,
Mr. Olisa Metuh, did not go
through neither was a text
message sent to him on the
subject replied to.
Meanwhile, the Presidency on
Friday said Jonathan was still
consulting on whether to seek re-
election in 2015 or not and would
soon make his decision public.
Special Adviser to the President
on Political Matters, Mr. Ahmed
Gulak, said this in an interview.
Gulak told our correspondent
that Jonathan would not make his
position known until after due
consultations with political
leaders in the six geopolitical
zones of the country.
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