JONATHAN MUST RUN FOR PRESIDENT – PDP CHIEFTAIN

By NBF News

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Anambra State, Dr Jeff Okeke has joined pro-Jonathan group. The group wants to persuade Jonathan to run for 2011 presidency. Dr Okeke argued that since Acting President Jonathan took over the mantle of leadership, there has been a positive change in the oil and power sectors.

According to him, the PDP zoning formula can be jettisoned since, according to him, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is superior to every other constitution in the country.

Okeke argued that the Northern geo-political zone has nothing to lose, adding that they had held the presidency of Nigeria for almost thirty five years and that the north ruled both in military and civilian regimes.

For Atiku Abubakar to have returned to PDP, Dr Okeke believes it is a good development which he said will strengthen the PDP and attract more membership especially Atiku's followers to PDP.

Excerpt:
Atiku back to PDP
It is a welcome idea. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a big family and it is the largest political party in Africa. Atiku Abubakar was one of the founding members of the party. So I don't see anything wrong in his coming back to the party. He left the partu but now he felt it is the right time to come back, he is free to do so. We are all happy because a person like Atiku Abubakar is needed in the party to pool ideas together for the progress of the party.

Politics is a thing of interest.
This development will rather strengthen our great party, PDP, because we know some other big wigs in Action Congress are loyal to him and they will equally pull out. The larger we are, the stronger we become since democracy is a game of number. Everybody knows that PDP is the largest political party in Africa where you have the largest number of political strategists. Now that he has come back, he will join in the party policymaking as he was doing before.

IBB to run for 2011
From my own point of view, Ibrahim Babangida has been a wonderful man. He is very dynamic and a man with vision. When he was the military president he favoured most of us who are in business. Many Igbo people liked his government. His coming out is a good development. PDP has credible people who can make waves in the political scene in Nigeria. IBB can stop a lot of people contesting the 2011 presidency. That is one of the strategies the PDP is now applying at the end of the day. But he may not be the flag bearer of the PDP or be the president of Nigeria again.

Jonathan and 2011
Acting President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan can have the mandate of the people to contest for presidency in 2011. He is an Acting President now. But he is very active. He should contest and I want to tell you that nobody can stop him-zoning or no zoning. Democracy is not all about zoning. It is government of the people. If we say let him lead us, the zoning has no meaning. Since Jonathan took over the mantle of leadership in Nigeria, things have begun to change. Nigeria is getting better. The only area where I question the action of Acting President Jonathan is in reappointing most of the ministers. Recycling them is not the best for the nation. I want to see a nation that goes to the community, to the village to pick people, credible people and make them ministers even when they don't have interest. What does it take to build a nation? It doesn't take much. Just have the right people at the right place- credible people who have the interest of this nation at heart and not recycling politicians who have outlived their usefulness.

North should forget presidency
Before now, it has been the business of the North to produce presidents. The North has held the presidency of this country both in military and civilian government for almost thirty- five years. Nigeria is not for the North alone.

The idea of zoning does not show the true nature of democracy. It is a bad system, which should be jettisoned. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is superior to that of a political party or any organization. If there is a constitution that says anybody who is qualified, who is a Nigeria should contest as the president of Nigeria, then, if any other constitution says otherwise, it does not affect the supremacy of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I pray seriously that Jonathan will change his mind and run for 2011presidency because under him this country will experience a great positive change. He will lead us to the Promised Land. Those who are power-hungry should wait. Let us give Jonathan the next four years to unfold what he has for the nation.