National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur yesterday took a swipe at Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa state, stressing that when the time comes and the party gets its candidate for the 2015 Presidential election, he will no longer have an alternative than to work for the party.
Tukur who warned that nobody should distract President Jonathan in his task of governance, stressed that he should be given time to deliver on his promises to Nigerians and let the people enjoy the dividends of democracy.
According to PDP National Chairman, the emergence of who becomes the PDP presidential candidate will be decided by the delegates to the presidential primaries and the candidate would thereafter face the Nigerian electorate to decide who the President becomes.
The PDP National Chairman who was reacting to statements credited to governor Sule Lamido on Monday that PDP ticket won’t guarantee Jonathan’s second term, however cautioned him against utterances that were capable of overheating the polity.
Governor Lamido, while answering questions from journalists at the Jigawa State Government House, Dutse, weekend, said that president Jonathan would have to win the 2015 presidential election to make his ambition a reality, irrespective of the posturing by his supporters who were threatening others over his re-election.
Bamanga Tukur who spoke through his Special Assistant, Media, Oliver Okpala while answering questions from Journalists at the PDP National Secretariat, said, “It is wrong for anyone to start insinuating whether President Jonathan will emerge victorious as the presidential candidate of the PDP, when the time for the presidential primaries is yet to come.
As at today, the PDP is yet to conduct its presidential primary, let alone someone emerging as the presidential candidate.
“Governor Lamido, if he is a true party man should know that he has no alternative than to support whosoever emerge as the party’s presidential candidate.
“The emergence of the PDP presidential candidate will be decided by the delegates to the presidential primaries, thereafter, the party’s presidential candidate will face the Nigerian electorate to decide who the President becomes. Not until that is done, PDP as a political party will be working to ensure that the- would be presidential candidate wins the presidential election.
“Governor Sule Lamido should know that the PDP as a party of first choice in Nigeria will leave no stone unturned through democratic processes to ensure that its presidential candidate emerges victorious.
It should be said that no true PDP member should dissipate energies on a presidential primary election that is yet to be conducted or engage in public comments that are seen as against the general interest of his constitution and manifesto of the party.”
I like people who are bold and fearless. If Sule Lamido is no longer comfortable with PDP then he should go to another party. Only cowards and unpatriotic party members talks like dat. What has he done in d 6yrs of Jigawa governance dat gives him d impetus to tongue-lash and ill-wish President GEJ who has only spent 2yrs on a seat which is many Nigerian made very hot n uncomfortable for him from d beginning.