The national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has stated that President Jonathan is free to contest for the presidency in 2015.
Tukur, who stated this while fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja, denied insinuations that President Jonathan’s 2015 ambition was responsible for the constitution of the PDP Governors’ Forum (PGF), adding that there was nothing wrong if Jonathan chose to.
Tukur had frowned at the insinuation that the PGF was set up so as to facilitate Jonathan’s re-election bid, saying, “Let me tell you, that is in order in politics. Jonathan is the president under our party and what is wrong if he decided to run?”
Akwa Ibom State governor Godswill Akpabio was Sunday night elected the new chairman of the PGF, a move seen to have cut the powers of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers who, many felt, was using the body to boost his alleged
2015 presidential election.
But Tukur said he saw nothing wrong with the constitution of the PDP Governors’ Forum. It is proper for the PDP to have its own governors under the umbrella to facilitate effective dissemination of party policies, he noted.
He stated: “I see the NGF as very important. I can tell you why. Look at Nigeria, we have so many colourations — ethnic, religious. Now, if you don’t have this kind of association, whereby people have to meet and discuss, how can Nigeria sustain its role as a regional power?
“You cannot do that, unless the help comes from governors. So, NGF is very healthy, because we have to be frank with ourselves. If we understand our differences, then, we can work together better. If they are working together to ensure peace and whatever is good, we all agree to that extent it is a very important forum,” the PDP chairman said.
He said though opinions may differ amongst the PDP governors, it didn’t mean that the party’s position would be respected: “Babangida Aliyu had his opinion. Well, it is an opinion. It doesn’t mean that all our governors agree with him. He can say so but I have explained to you as the chairman of this party that they are all my governors. We may not share the same position on the formation of PDP Governors’ Forum, but I have explained to you our intention as a party. We want our governors to come together.”
He explained that the party would soon be embarking on e-registration, noting that the time called for it.
The party’s attempt to embark on e-registration during the tenure of its former chairman, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, ran into trouble waters when governors under the party kicked against the policy.