<\/p>\n
President Goodluck Jonathan once again said that nobody\u2019s political
\nambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian.
\nThe president said this in his acceptance speech, Wednesday, at the
\nPeoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2014 National Convention at the Eagle
\nSquare, Abuja
\nBelow is an excerpt of the speech
\nPROTOCOLS
\n1. Mr Chairman, our dear delegates, today is another great day in the
\nhistory of our great Party; The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and indeed
\nin the history of our great Nation.
\n2. Nothing gives me greater joy, as leader of our party, than such an
\nopportunity as presented today, for direct interaction with so many
\nenthusiastic and dedicated fellow party members, and may I add, all
\nproudly dressed in our party colours and regalia.<\/p>\n
3. It is also my pleasure to be here as a delegate today and I welcome
\nwhole heartedly all our delegates, party members and all Nigerians, from
\nacross the country and beyond; including those joining us by television
\nand online, as we gather here in the Eagle Square, to reaffirm the noble
\ndemocratic traditions and foundations, that bind us together.
\n4.I thank the Party and the Organizing Committee for a successful
\nconvention. I thank all the delegates for a smooth nomination process.
\n5. Let me congratulate, the Chairman of our great Party, the game changer,
\nAlhaji Ahmed Adamu Muazu. I have no doubt that the democratic process we
\nhave witnessed here today, and his confirmation as Party chairman, are
\nboth pointers to the consolidation of democracy in our country as a whole.
\n6.There is no doubt that his commitment to the ideals of our party, his
\nconsistency and hard work, has helped to reposition the party. And today
\nwe are stronger, bigger, and more in tune with the yearnings of our
\npeople. Let me also congratulate Professor Wale Oladipo and Alhaji Adewale
\nAdeyanju whose appointments as National Secretary and National Auditor,
\nrespectively, have been ratified at this Convention.
\n7. Nigeria is undergoing great changes at this time, and also experiencing
\ngreat challenges; so, political parties must rise above the fray, to
\nprovide hope and clear direction, to propel the development of our
\ncountry.
\n8. As expected in every contest, especially political contests, the
\njourney to this convention has not been without issues in some
\nconstituencies. Indeed, Party Congresses from the ward to state levels,
\nand the legislative and state primaries, have produced both triumphs and
\nsome misgivings.
\n9. Without prejudice to various on-going resolution mechanisms, we will
\ntake steps, after the elections to review and refine the candidate
\nselection procedures within our party. An appropriate committee will be
\nset up to work on this, with contributions across board.
\n10. I commend the efforts of the supervising and appeal committee members,
\nwho travelled across the country to conduct and oversee the primaries and
\ncongresses. I appreciate also the dedication of the various working
\ncommittees and special committees engaged in organising and delivering all
\naspects of the election season programmes.
\n11. Fellow delegates, dear party members, while we congratulate our
\ncandidates who have emerged at the primaries, we must reassure all our
\nmembers, that our party remains a large, accommodating and responsible
\nparty.
\n12. We will make sure that conflicts are amicably resolved and that the
\ngenuine interest of every member is respected and assured.
\n13. As party members, we must be conscious of the responsibility we hold
\nto our Nation. The political party is the vehicle for national
\norganisation, and the PDP is the foremost political party in Nigeria.
\n14. For the sake of the entire nation, we must, at this time, more than
\never, stand together as one united party. We are all joint stake holders,
\nthis party belongs to all of us.
\n15. What we have achieved today should be a lesson to all who care about
\nNigeria. What we have done exemplifies our unity. What we have done
\nexemplifies our determination. What we have done exemplifies our purpose.
\n16. We are a Party that accepts challenges. We are a Party that confronts
\nthose challenges. But above all, we are a Party that resolves challenges.
\nAnd it is exactly these qualities that will lead us to victory.
\n17. Distinguished Delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you as
\nyour humble servant, to accept your nomination as the Presidential
\ncandidate of our great Party, the PDP.
\n18. Having placed great faith in me and chosen me as your candidate, I
\nassure you, that I am truly honoured tonight, to lead another electoral
\ncontest.
\n19. This will be a campaign, and an election, that will serve to
\nconsolidate our successes.
\n20. I will give my all.
\n21. I will not let you down.
\n22. I will not fail the PDP.
\n23. I will not fail you.
\n24. Above all, I promise, I will not fail our great nation, Nigeria.
\n25. This convention shows that we are ready.
\n26. The PDP is ready.
\n27. Nigerians know we are ready.
\n28. And today in Abuja, we begin the next phase of our mission.
\n29. Our mission is to secure Nigeria\u2019s future.
\n30.First of all, let me give gratitude to God Almighty who has sustained
\nthe nation.
\n31. There is much to say, but permit me some special words of gratitude.
\nThese last four years have not always been easy, but through it all, my
\nwife has effortlessly taken care of our home. So to you, my companion and
\nmy foremost supporter, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
\n32. I also want to thank, the Vice President, my brother, Arch Namadi
\nSambo, and his dear wife. You have both provided loyal support and
\ncommitment to this presidency; working with you for our people, has been a
\npleasure.
\n33. The work and progress recorded these past four years has been possible
\nbecause we have had the best team possible. The Ministers, Advisers,
\nAssistants and staff that have formed the Transformation team, have shown
\ngreat dedication, creativity and loyalty.
\n34. They have put in extra hours when necessary, and always gone the extra
\nmile to ensure delivery. Today, I thank them fervently for their
\npatriotism and hard work.
\n35.Our Party, the PDP, has been the foundation of our Transformation
\nAgenda. I thank the Chairman and Party Executive at all levels, the Board
\nof Trustees and National Working Committee, the PDP Governors Forum,
\nFederal and state legislators, Secretariat Staff and volunteers, across
\nthe country. You have played your part well, and I am indeed very
\ngrateful.
\n36. It is not a mere coincidence that our National Convention this year
\nstarts on the same day as the United Nations World Human Rights Day. This
\ngovernment, led by our Party, has made the respect of human rights and
\nindividual freedoms, the cornerstone of our administration.
\n37. I did say during my declaration on November 11, 2014, that we are
\nproud that no Nigerian has been exiled or imprisoned on our watch, for
\nholding contrary views. We must ensure that we continue to water the tree
\nbearing the fruits of freedom, for our beloved people.
\n38. In the last 16 years, the PDP has kept faith with the Nigerian people
\nby promoting and projecting a united nation, under God. We have united our
\npeople around common national goals for the good of our citizens and the
\ndevelopment of our nation.
\n39. Through its years of office, our great Party, the PDP created the
\nAnti-corruption agencies, that is, the EFCC and the ICPC, the Excess Crude
\nAccount, the Pension Reforms, Fiscal Responsibility Regime, the Sovereign
\nWealth Fund and various privatization programmes.
\n40. We initiated Debt Relief, the Amnesty Programme, the Presidential Jobs
\nCreation Board, Power Sector Reforms and the National Infrastructure
\nMaster-plan; the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan, the National
\nAutomobile Policy, the Freedom of Information regime, the Nigerian
\nMortgage Refinancing Company, and the Infrastructure Bank, amongst others.
\n41. At the advent of democracy in 1999, Nigeria\u2019s GDP was 35.9 billion US
\ndollars. Today, it is 510 billion US dollars \u2013 and we have become Africa\u2019s
\nbiggest economy. In 1999, our debt to GDP Ratio was 93.1%. Today, it is
\n13.6 % of which external debt to GDP ratio is 1.89%.
\n42. As at 1999, only 400,000 telephone lines were active in our country.
\nToday, we have about 120 million lines, which have created many more jobs
\nfor our youths.
\n43. This administration is also working to revitalize our insurance
\nindustry. Compared to other emerging economies, our insurance industry has
\nnot achieved its full potential. Today, only 3 million of our citizens are
\ninsurance policy holders, and overall insurance penetration is less than
\n0.5 percent of our GDP. We want to transform this sector, just as we have
\ndone for our banking sector and our pensions industry.
\n44. Our goal is to grow the total insurance premiums in our country from
\n300 billion naira currently to 1 trillion naira in the next three years.
\nAnd to increase the number of direct jobs created in this sector from
\nabout 30,000 people today to over 100,000 people in the next few years.
\n45. My brothers and sisters, the PDP as a party has delivered on its
\npromise. In the last decade, it has seen to the largest expansion of the
\nmiddle class in Africa. Certainly, our Party has a rich history of
\nenduring legacies.
\n46. For those who defected from the PDP, I enjoin you to tell the truth in
\nyour campaigns. Many of the developments in your States were initiated by
\nthe PDP. So be honest with the voters and give credit where it is due.
\n47. In adopting the umbrella as our symbol, we have become the umbrella of
\nthe nation. Our politics has not been defined by our differences, but in
\nforging the bond of oneness.
\n48. After our victory at the polls in 2011, we articulated a
\nTRANSFORMATION AGENDA, which we have faithfully implemented. The agenda
\nhas created the framework of our desire to promote and deepen access to
\neconomic and social benefits, through equal opportunities.
\n49. The Transformation Agenda is helping to secure Nigeria\u2019s future.
\nThanks to this Agenda we have remained focused, calculated and measured in
\nour decision-making. We have focused on sustainable gains, rather than
\nquick fixes. We have remained committed to our national maxim of Unity and
\nFaith, Peace and Progress.
\n50. Today, it is to our collective credit as a nation, that in spite of
\nour challenges, our unity remains solid. All across our nation, the
\npositive gains of the Transformation Agenda are being progressively
\nenjoyed by our people.
\n51. During this campaign, some office seekers will say it is \u201ctime for
\nchange\u201d, but while they were changing from one name to another and from
\none party to the other, we had already brought change to Nigeria.
\n52. My dear delegates,
\n53. Has change not come to our railway system?
\n54. Has change not come to our airports?
\n55. Has change not come to our roads network?
\n56. Has change not come to our agricultural sector?
\n57. Has change not come to our electoral process?
\n58. Has change not come to Almajiri education?
\n59. Is change not coming to the power sector?
\n60. Distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, what we need today is
\nto consolidate on our gains in order to secure our future.
\n61. Our focus now must be on the future and not on the past. We have
\nchallenges but we are determined to overcome them. And this we will.
\n62. These last four years, my priority has been in building a strong and
\nstable economy. We have created the enabling environment for businesses to
\nthrive. These are essentials for securing Nigeria\u2019s future.
\n63. Back in 2008 and 2009, the country faced strong economic challenges
\narising from unstable oil prices, but we confronted it consciously and
\novercame. As the economic challenges of oil price-fall, looms in the
\nmonths ahead, Nigeria needs tested hands that will provide certainty, in
\nan uncertain world. We have a strong and capable economic team, which has
\nalready worked out strategies to manage the oil price volatility and
\ncurtail its effects.
\n64. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, our fight against corruption is on
\ncourse. Our systematic efforts have been acknowledged and we will do more
\nin the coming years. Corruption degrades development; we will continue
\nthis fight, without compromise.
\n65. In the past four years we have run our administration with respect for
\nthe principle of separation of powers between the different arms of
\ngovernment. The judiciary and the legislature have independently and
\nintrospectively pursued their own reforms and greater self-expression.
\n66.With a fresh mandate, we shall push for increased intra-party and
\nbi-partisan harmony, within the legislature, and between the executive and
\nthe legislature. The duty of national development must never be hindered
\nby the over-politicization of interests; this is what we owe our people,
\nand our nation.
\n67. Dear party faithful, beyond security and corruption, there exist
\nenvironmental challenges, such as desertification, which is threatening
\nthe lives of our people, especially in the frontline states of Adamawa,
\nBorno, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Yobe and
\nZamfara. We have responded most appropriately by implementing the Great
\nGreen Wall Programme for which we have released over 16 billion Naira.
\n68. Our determination to provide a buffer of greenery that will stop the
\nadvancement of the desert and reverse the many losses of farmlands and
\ngrazing grounds, streams and aquatic life, among others, remains strong.
\nSimilar programmes are being implemented to save communities from erosion
\nin the West, East, and the South-South parts of the country.
\n69. On my watch, the security of all citizens shall continue to be of
\nutmost priority. With the exception of the civil war, never before in the
\nhistory of our country have we faced the level of threat we see today. I
\nassure all Nigerians that this Government will continue to do whatever is
\nrequired to provide the security we deserve. It is encouraging that the
\nsecurity situation is improving, and by the grace of God, elections will
\nbe conducted in all states of the federation.
\n70. I call on all Nigerians, irrespective of party or belief, to join me
\nin this fight against insurgency and terror. We must be united. Bickering
\nand quarrels only serve to send the wrong signals to terrorists and
\ninsurgents, that we are divided in this fight. More importantly it can
\nalso demoralise our dedicated and brave armed forces. This would be wrong.
\nFor this reason, we must remain united.
\n71. I believe that together as a people and with God on our side, we shall
\ndefeat terror and emerge an even stronger nation.
\n72. The experience in many countries shows that there may be a tendency
\nfor the escalation of violence in an election year. We must not succumb to
\nblackmail. We must be vigilant \u2013 every one of us. Only by united action,
\ncan we defeat terrorism.
\n73. I salute our gallant armed forces and security agencies who are doing
\ntheir best to keep our people safe. We shall continue to ensure that they
\nhave the best in terms of equipment, training and conditions. I appeal to
\nour countrymen and women to provide them with the fullest support, and not
\nto fall victim to those who fan the embers of terror.
\n74. As a political party, we must rededicate ourselves to the work of
\nsecuring our future. We are the party of the people, and not just the
\nelite. We must lift the poor out of the depth of want, onto the ladder of
\nprosperity. We will work to ensure that no child suffers from basic needs.
\nWe must create equal opportunities for women and the physically
\nchallenged. We must give a voice to all Nigerians.
\n75. And we can do all this! Nigeria is not a land of despair. We are a
\npeople who show commitment and unity of purpose. Just look at how we stood
\nup to the Ebola Virus Disease. We are a hard-working nation. And we will
\ngo from strength to strength.
\n76. Our best days are before us, not behind us. We must continue to move
\nforward.
\n77. In accepting your nomination as flag bearer for the Presidential
\nElection, I once more accept the challenge to serve our party and nation.
\nI will continue the work we have begun with the Transformation Agenda.
\n78. I will work to secure Nigeria\u2019s future. I will serve with humility and
\nmoderation, with simplicity and forthrightness; with openness and
\ninclusiveness, and with firmness and strength. I urge all Nigerians to
\nsupport me, to finish what we started together.
\n79. Fellow citizens, what we need, more than anything else, is to secure
\nour country\u2019s future, by building, and not by destroying.
\n80. We can continue to build upon the foundations we have laid so far, we
\ncan continue with our economic progress, we can continue improving our
\ninfrastructure, we can continue delivering better health care, we can
\ncontinue to improve our agriculture and we can continue to safeguard
\nindividual liberties and freedoms.
\n81. The choice before Nigerians in the coming election is simple: A choice
\nbetween going forward or going backwards; between the new ways and the old
\nways; between freedom and repression; between a record of visible
\nachievements and beneficial reforms \u2013 and desperate power-seekers with
\nempty promises.
\n82. Fellow Delegates, dear Party members, so much is at stake. Let me
\nremind everyone \u2013 party leaders, mobilizers, members, men, women and youth
\n\u2013 that the hard work has only just started.
\n83. As your Presidential candidate and Party leader, I hereby commission
\nall delegates and party faithful, as my campaign mobilizers, to take our
\nmessage of unity and development back to your respective states and
\ncommunities, and to ensure victory for all candidates of the PDP in the
\nforthcoming elections. Working Together, we will do it!
\n84.Our political opponents shall assail us with the fury of their
\ndesperation to win power. They will use every means \u2013 intimidation, false
\naccusations, hostile media and more. Do not descend to their level. We
\nmust stay focused on the mission at hand \u2013 to secure Nigeria\u2019s future.
\n85. Let me emphasise again, that nobody\u2019s political ambition is worth the
\nblood of any Nigerian. We must eschew violence, even in the face of the
\nmost outrageous acts of desperation.
\n86. We must make sure our supporters have their voter\u2019s cards. We must get
\nthem motivated and eager to make their mark. It will be a mark for our
\nchildren. It will be a mark for a stronger economy. A mark that will
\nsecure Nigeria\u2019s future.
\n87. So my dear Party Men and Women, let us take this campaign to every
\nNigerian, every home and every community.
\n88. We will campaign in peace.
\n89. We will campaign with hope in our hearts.
\n90. We will campaign on the facts and the truth.
\n91. We will campaign with issues and ideas.
\n92. We will campaign on our record of performance.
\n93. We will campaign to win.
\n94. Mr. Chairman, Distinguished delegates,
\nLadies and Gentlemen,
\n95. Let me at this point invite to join me on this podium, the Chairman of
\nour great party, Alhaji Ahmed Adamu Muazu; the Chairman of our Board of
\nTrustees, Chief Tony Anenih; the Senate President, Senator David Mark and
\nhis wife; my dear brother, the Vice President, Architect Namadi Sambo and
\nhis wife, and particularly, my dear wife, the First Lady, Dame Patience
\nJonathan.
\n96. I seize the opportunity of this occasion to formally announce that as
\nwe commence the campaign for the 2015 Presidential elections, Architect
\nMohammed Namadi Sambo, a loyal and tested partner, a dependable,
\ntrustworthy gentleman and a true patriot will be my running mate and Vice
\nPresidential candidate once again.
\n97. With your continued support and the blessing of God Almighty, Vice
\nPresident Sambo and I will campaign together to win another resounding
\nvictory for our great party in the coming elections.
\n98. God bless you all
\n99. God bless our great Party, the PDP
\n100. God bless Nigeria
\n101. I thank you all.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
President Goodluck Jonathan once again said that nobody\u2019s political ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. The president said this in his acceptance speech, Wednesday, at the Peoples…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34132,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34151","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n