I’ll Reveal Why PDP Lost 2015 Poll in Due Course, Says Jonathan

•   Lamido: Buhari administration clueless
• Daniel lobbies former speakers for chairmanship post

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has said he will in due time give an accurate account of how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost the 2015 presidential election.

Speaking  thursday in his office when he received a delegation of former Speakers elected on the platform of the PDP, Jonathan said he would advise that the leadership of the party take measures to review the number of delegate downwards to about 70 per cent so as reduce the problems being witnessed during party primaries.

Jonathan who led the PDP to lose the presidential election in 2015, told his visitors that though a lot had been said and written about how the party lost the election, the actual reason was yet to be revealed.

According to him, some of these issues would be properly addressed in future at the appropriate time.

“PDP is still the strongest party. We know the reason why we lost elections. People maybe writing left and right, at the appropriate time, some of these things would be properly addressed in the course of history. There are certain things you don’t write now because it would be misunderstood as if you are playing politics.

“After some years five, six or eight years when the beneficiaries have left, you can state it in writting and people will not fight with you,” he said.

He said PDP did well during its ruling for 16 years by the number of reforms its introduced and implemented.
The former president commended the forum members for coming together to form such association, adding that they are important in the strategy of PDP reclaiming power in 2019.

He asked the former speakers not to abandon the party like those playing “politics of the stomach” and defecting to other parties.

On the issue of war against corruption, Jonathan advised PDP members not to be intimidated.
“There are stories of corruption. I say this will always be there because if you read the statement of the organisers of the first military coup, their statement was attributed to corruption.

“After that, all other the coup plotters, it is always corruption. It will continue to be but one day we will get out of it. Most nations passed through this stage of life. The only thing I plead of you is not to politicise certain basic things. Issues of corruption, yes, it is worrisome. No body will encourage it,” he added.

Meanwhile, the former Governor of Jigawa State, Mallam Sule Lamido, has described the All Progressives Congress (APC) as an alliance of failures who are using force and other unconstitutional means to intimidate PDP members.

Lamido who spoke to journalists shortly after meeting with former PDP Speakers said President Muhammadu Buhari administration has no clues on how to fix the economy.

He charged PDP members to remain united against the oppressive tendencies of the Buhari-led government who he noted had resorted to nepotism as a way of running the country.

“Be courageous and stand up. Nigeria has been around before APC and APC cannot take us hostage. We need to stand up. We need people to be courageous.

“We shall not keep quiet. It is our country. Enough of this culture of nepotism and fear. Governemt should be respected not feared. Government should be there for all of us, whether APC or PDP. 2019 will be a defining moment for Nigeria,” he said.

The former governor also commented Governor Ayo Fayose’s declaration for presidency, saying Ekiti State governor is constitutionally entitled to contest the presidential ticket of the PDP, even though it has been zoned to the North.
Also, a former governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel, met with the forum of former speakers of the PDP to solicit for their support for his plan to become the next national chairman of the PDP.

Addressing the gathering, Daniel debunked the perception that PDP members are corrupt, saying that most persons who are now driving affairs in the APC were previously of the PDP.

He insisted that the PDP’s lost the 2015 election because the party deviated from its original vision which is “to give power to the people.”