2015: PDP plans consensus ticket for Jonathan

In its effort to ensure a crisis free 2015 presidential ticket , the leading Peoples Democratic Party, PDp and its officials are currently working towards ensuring that President Goodluck Jonathan contests with no particular opposition in the party.

The party stalwarts who had earlier canvassed for the adoption of a right of first refusal for the president and governors have now resorted to a double-phased convention in consideration of the concerns raised earlier by other members of the party, who were against the proposal.

Some of those in strong opposition to the right of first refusal include some two-term governors from the North and former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar.

Meanwhile,fFull of suspicion over his exclusion from the Adamawa State delegate list for the party’s mini convention, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has written to the party national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, saying that his exclusion could be part of a plot to push him out of the party.

The new plan is for a referendum to be conducted on the achievement of President Goodluck Jonathan and other governors who want to return for a second term. Delegates to the party convention would then be asked to declare a yea or nay on the president’s performance upon which he would be adopted as the party’s consensus candidate. This will also be applicable to the governors willing to run for a second term.

It was gathered that if the President fails in the first convention, another convention would be held within one month, allowing all other aspirants to contest, including the president.

“I do not see anything wrong, if the PDP considers automatic tickets for the President and its governors who have performed well and are seeking for a second term,” Anenih had said at that meeting.

There was an immediate disagreement over the proposal as Northern stakeholders, including Atiku, raised objections. This led to the fresh proposal.

Meanwhile, Atiku has written to the party national body, expressing his grievances over his non-inclusion in the list of delegates for the party’s forthcoming convention.

In the letter dated July 11, 2013, Atiku said he had waited tirelessly with no response from the party regarding his complaint over his reported exclusion, despite that it was published in a national daily.

“After waiting for a public statement from the party, correcting or refuting the abnormality in vain, I decided to draw your attention to this mistake. You may recall, Mr. Chairman, that section 8, sub section 8 (b) of the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, 2012 as amended, states that “a person who desires to rejoin the party after leaving it, unless given a waiver by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our Party, be placed on probation for a period of not less than one year.”

He further said,”It is in this regard, that I consider the omission of my name as a mistake since it contradicts Section 32 sub section 1 (a) of our Party constitution which states that the Board of Trustees members of our Party shall consist of “all past and serving Presidents and Vice Presidents of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who held or hold the respective posts as members of the Party and who are still members of the Party.

“As a bonafide member of our party, I look forward to the respect and privileges conferred on the office of the Vice President and founding fathers of the party by our party constitution. I, therefore, request for a correction and restitution of my right to attend the forthcoming special national convention of our great party and also membership of the Board of Trustees.”