Why GEJ Begs Akala, Obanikoro, Others

In an apparent move to stop the reported defections of members Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to opposition parties across the country, President Goodluck Jonathan has appealed to aspirants who lost at the primaries to remain in party in the interest of democracy.The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the President made the appeal on Saturday night while speaking at the PDP fund raising dinner held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.According to the report, Jonathan stated that the leadership of the party was working to resolve all outstanding issues in the congresses and primaries.“We all appreciate that throughout the congresses where primary elections were conducted there have been some outstanding issues.
“The party is working to resolve these issues; definitely, in such situation all may not be resolved to the satisfaction of everybody,” Jonathan stated.He added: “But my plea to party members is to remain committed to the party; stay with the party.“I know other parties are wooing some of you to contest elections on their platforms, but if you believe in democracy then you will contribute to strengthen it.“The only way you can strengthen democracy is for you to stay in your party,” he added.Some prominent leaders of the party have either left, expressed intention to leave, or expressed their dissatisfaction at the manner of conduct of primaries in their states.”It would be recalled that former PDP National Chairman, Bernabas Gemade, has already joined the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State.The former PDP chieftain made the move after expressing anger at how Governor Gabriel Suswam picked the PDP senatorial ticket of his zone to displace the former who is the incumbent.Also in Oyo, former governor Alao Akala and his supporters have joined the Labour Party after expressing their dissatisfaction at the PDP governorship primaries that produced Teslim Folarin as candidate.In Lagos, the immediate past Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, had rejected the primaries that produced Jimi Agbaje as the PDP governorship candidate.A similar situation is playing out in Nasarawa where immediate past Information Minister, Labaran Maku, has rejected the PDP governorship primaries.Commenting on the defections and rumours of impending defections, Jonathan told the aggrieved members that if there were issues they felt were not too correct, it was better for them to stay within the party to correct them.He added that staying together to settle those issues was the only way democracy can grow.“If out of anger or frustration, you leave the party because you didn’t get what you wanted, then you are not contributing to the growth of democracy,” GEJ said.Also speaking at the occasion, the chairman of the fund raising committee, Jerry Gana, warned members of the party against complacency in the 2015 general elections.Mr. Gana, a former Minister of Information and member of the PDP Board of Trustees, declared that the 2015 elections would be competitive.He stated that though the party had done well under President Jonathan, members must campaign and communicate his achievements to the electorate.“The 2015 elections will be very competitive. Do not take it for granted. We must never underestimate the opponent.“PDP has advantage because it has done very well in its 15 years in power at the centre.“Besides, our presidential candidate is very good and is one of the best in the world in terms of delivery of democracy dividends.“But doing well or having good candidates is not enough; we need to tell the electorate what we have done as a party.“We must endeavour to effectively communicate our achievements and candidates to the people; the elections must be issue-based and the PDP is noted for that,”  Gana added.NAN reports that over N21.2 billion was raised at the dinner which was well attended by past and present government officials, politicians and captains of industry.