PDP Will Become Solid After National Convention — Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will become solid after its Saturday national convention.

Jonathan expressed the optimism in an interview with newsmen after his visit to Gov Nyesom Wike of Rivers, in Port Harcourt, on Sunday.

He said that he was hopeful that by Saturday PDP would elect its new set of national officials

“God willing we will go through the convention and the party will become solid.

“Now we have the National Caretaker Committee and when you are caretaker you are not as strong as elected chairman.

“You know the party just went through challenges, luckily we passed the challenges through the pronouncement of the Supreme Court.

“Now we want to formerly elect the national officials of the party that will lead us to 2019 elections.”

In turn, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike said that PDP will not accept anything likely to disrupt its Saturday’s National Convention.

Wike gave the assurance when he received a national chairmanship aspirant of the party, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, at Government House, Port Harcourt, on Sunday.

Wike said that whatever anybody might be saying, the convention would be fair and hitch-free.

The governor pledged to support the party to provide a level playing ground at the convention.

“If you believe and love this party, there is nothing you cannot do, everybody can make sacrifice for this party except you don’t believe in this party.

“What I am saying is that whoever emerges we should come out as members of the same party to support him.”

Wike also condemned a statement credited to a former state governor in which stakeholders of PDP in the north micro zoned the party chairmanship position to the South West.

He described the statement as a slap on the South South, saying it was wrong for anybody not from the region to do micro-zoning against the decision of the party.

“The chairmanship was zoned to the south and presidency to the north. You cannot in your own place micro zone our own position.

“We cannot seat here and micro zone the presidency. It is not possible. It is what they tell us to do that we will do.

“PDP is not in power, it is in opposition. We need a Chairman that will drive the party to make PDP to win election,” Wike said.

He commended the peaceful campaigns by Dokpesi and his campaigning round the country to seek delegates’ support.

“What you are doing has popularised the party. This is the first time when PDP Chairman is being elected and the aspirants are going from one state to the other.

“The main fact that you are doing that is a mobilisation for the party.”

Earlier, Dokpesi said he was in the state to solicit for the blessing and support of the governor and the state delegates on his ambition.

He said as an opposition party, it was important for the PDP to allow its best materials to emerge as Chairman and presidential candidates.

Dokpesi commended the roles and support of Gov. Wike and government of Rivers towards the development of PDP and success of its forthcoming convention.

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