Akra Anthony, Calabar
The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, has said that any member of the party, particularly from the South-South geo-political zone, who plans to frustrate the second term ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan, was sick in the head.
He made the remarks in Calabar during the South-South Expanded Zonal Committee meeting at the weekend where he thumped up the zone’s PDP leaders for their resolve to support the President.
Anenih said: “Anybody from the South-South whether governor or speaker or state chairman of the party or any other person who does not understand the importance of supporting Jonathan should have his head examined as the person may not be in tune with the times or Nigeria’s political history.”
He advised that South-South PDP members should not be part of the ‘gang up’ to ridicule the President, and added “the Almighty God and our ancestors shall not forgive anybody who plans to bring Jonathan down.”
On the issue of automatic ticket for the President, Anenih said his position has always been that if the President is adjudged to have done well, there was no reason why he should not be given the right of first refusal.
“If Jonathan is implementing PDP manifestoes, and is doing well, there is no logical reason whatsoever why PDP should not give him the right of first refusal. In that arrangement, delegates shall still have opportunity to vote yes or no, Jonathan or no Jonathan.
“If at the end of the day, we have no simple majority, we then have to organize another convention within 30 days to create room for other aspirants to contest. The president, Governors, National Assembly members should be given that option. It is only for those asking for the second term,” he stated.
Also speaking Governor Liyel Imoke said the zone shall not compromise on the issue of returning Jonathan to Aso Rock in 2015, and that it shall do everything within its power to ensure the president picks PDP’s ticket and win the presidential election, but warned against the temptation of
anti-party activities.
In his remarks, the Senate leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba said “we are PDP, we will remain PDP, we will defend PDP, we shall protect and promote South South, and we shall defend and protect our own son because he is doing well.”
The communiqué released after the meeting called on “all sons and daughters of South-South origin to wholly support Dr. Goodluck Jonathan because he truly represents the symbol of unity and strength of the South-South Region.”
