National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur yesterday berated Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido for commenting on President Goodluck Jonathan’s chances at the 2015 Presidential elections, saying that when the time comes and the party gets its flag bearer, he (Lamido) will be left with no choice other than to work for the party.
Tukur, who warned that the President should not be distracted in his task of governance, stressed that he should be given time to deliver on his promises to Nigerians and allow the people enjoy the dividends of democracy.
The PDP National Chairman, who was reacting to statements credited to Lamido on Monday that giving Jonathan the PDP presidential ticket won’t guarantee his victory at the polls, cautioned the governor against making utterances that were capable of overheating the polity.
Bamanga Tukur who spoke through his Special Assistant, Media, Oliver Okpala while fielding 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.”
