Politics
2015: Jonathan Will Lose If He Runs —Rivers APC …Insists ambition against national interest
By Nwaorgu Faustinus
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been advised not to bow to the pressure being mounted on him by selfish groups and individuals to contest the 2015 presidential election. Giving the advice in a statement in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) predicted that Jonathan will lose if he allows himself to be deceived into seeking re-election next year.
“The handwriting is already on the wall for President Jonathan in view of the calibre of leaders and unprecedented masses that attended the historic declaration of General Muhammadu Buhari to contest the 2015 presidential election. It has therefore become imperative for President Jonathan to start writing his handover notes as his game is up,” Rivers APC said in the statement signed by the Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya.
According to Ikanya, “It is now clear why President Jonathan is scared and reluctant in accepting the call to contest the 2015 general election as evident in his recent statement: ‘In deciding on an appropriate response to such calls, I will place the greater interests of national harmony, cohesion, unity, security, political stability, progress, equity, justice and fairness above any personal ambition or sectional agenda.’ We must commend him for this wise stand as he knows that his contesting will not be in the greatest interest of national harmony. He must, therefore, perish the thought if he really loves Nigeria and wishes to promote the greatest interest of national harmony.”
Rivers APC said that “if Dr. Jonathan however succumbs to the pressure of haters of Nigeria to contest the 2015 general election he should prepare to be the first sitting President to lose a general election since there is no basis whatsoever for him to win any election again as his record card shows that he is a failure. Today, Nigeria has never had it so bad as the present leadership under Jonathan has inflicted unimaginable suffering on Nigerians.”
Dr. Ikanya noted that apart from the imminent failure awaiting him at the polls, Dr. Jonathan very well knows that his participation in the 2015 election would be totally immoral since he is not qualified to run, as he is presently enjoying a second term in office. “The Constitution of our country makes it clear that no one can enjoy three consecutive tenures as President and Jonathan is bound by the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution,” Ikanya declared.
He expressed happiness over the high quality of tested and trusted leaders who have indicated interest to fly the flag of APC in its rescue mission. “PDP’s reign these past fifteen years has brought shame and hardship to our nation and we must unite to salvage this nation from the hands of the present confused leaders of PDP,” he said.
Rivers APC aligned with the position of its Leader, Governor Chibuike Amaechi, who recently asked President Jonathan from where he intends to get the votes that will get him elected in 2015 knowing that he has lost Lagos, Kano and Rivers states before the election as rigging will not be considered for the 2015 general election.
The statement concluded by echoing Amaechi’s position: “For us as APC, we will line up behind the party. Go back home now and get your voters cards. We will punish these people. Rivers State is not in their hands. Lagos State is not in their hands. Kano State is not in their hands. So, tell me where we are going? They are banking on using security against us. We shall teach them a lesson. We will fight with our body, with our lives because there must be change this time.
“And I have said it again and again; there is no aspirant in APC that is not better than the aspirants in PDP. What we must do is not only to vote for the aspirants in support; we must also take the voters card so that when we finish nominating our candidate here, we will line behind that candidate and ensure that we will vote out Jonathan.
Tejiri Ebikeme
A Niger Delta based group, South South Force Political Movement (SSFPM) has warned the political leaders in the Northern part of the country to allow President Goodluck Jonathan fulfill his constitutional right by contesting in 2015 elections of face the consequences.
President Goodluck Jonathan
The group noted that peace was cheap while war was costly and devastating and therefore advised the northern political leaders to stop instigating insecurity, including Boko Haram menace, to frustrate the re-election bid of the President Jonathan.
National Paton of SSFPM, Mr. Eromafuru Benson handed down the warning on Sunday night at the inauguration of the leadership of the body in Effurun, Delta State reiterating that the incessant killings and destruction of lives and properties by the insurgents aimed as frustrating the re-election of the President must stop now or it might throw the country into chaos.
He recalled that previous Presidents in the country had their two-terms as enshrined in the constitution and wondered why that of the incumbent President should be different stressing that his emergence from the South South , considered as minority group, should not count against him.
Mr. Benson declared “it is therefore time to call off the killing of innocent citizens and destroying properties for no just cause. The North should without any doubt be grateful to the South South region for their cooperation when Northerners ruled the country as Presidents of the country”.
He disclosed that SSFPM came into being for social justice, equity, good governance and democratic development of Nigeria and would not allow anybody or group to truncate that under the guise of frustrating President Jonathan.
National President of the group, Mr. Samuel Onojighofia explained that SSFPM was formed to play significant role in the re-election of President Jonathan in 2015 adding that Boko Haram and their destructive tendencies could not stop their son from ruling the country for a second term.
He therefore called on northern political class, Emirs, retired Generals and members of Boko Haram to give peace a chance for a peaceful election next year stressing “we have lived together for 54 years and this is not the time to divide just because a southerner is seeking another term in office”.
The Financial Secretary of the group, Mr. Akpos Zoukumor called on the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a free, fair and rancor free election next year explaining that the body was not saying the President must be returned without election