The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, came hard on the political party on Tuesday, saying it was “full of injustice.”
He said this was one of the reasons some PDP members defected to opposition political parties like the All Progressives Congress, the Labour Party and the All Progressive Grand Alliance.
Mu’azu spoke at the inauguration of the Senator Amodu Ali-led PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation in Abuja.
The event, which was held at the Legacy Building, Maitama, was attended by President Goodluck Jonathan, a few governors and members of the National Working Committee of the party.
Mu’azu, who received a standing ovation from the guests after his speech, turned to Jonathan and said, “Mr. President, I want you to discuss with your governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives and other elected officials.
“We say that members of the PDP should not be used and dumped again. People leave the party because of lack of equity or injustice.
“Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop. That must stop. This time round, monkey must work and monkey must eat.
“A lot of people who left (our party) did so because of injustice in our party. The party is full of injustice.
“The membership of the APC, LP, APGA and others are increasing because of this. All these members are from our party. We must find out what is wrong and correct it.”
As soon as he said this, the gathering stood up and clapped for him.
Before then, Mu’azu had called on the opposition to limit their campaigns to issues and not religion, tribe and trivial matters.
Responding, Jonathan told Mu’azu that he was aware that there were issues arising from the PDP primaries.
He said while the members of the party must come together to resolve them, he stressed that it must be clear to all that there must always be losers.
The President added that there were other political offices which, according to him, were available during and after elections.
He appealed to PDP governors to unite in ensuring that the party won the general elections .
On the February 14 presidential election, Jonathan said his government had done a lot to improve the quality of lives of Nigerians, including the youth .
He said that at the appropriate time, his opponents would tell Nigerians what they did while in government.
The President said, “They will tell Nigerians how many nursery schools they built while in government. When the time reaches, we will speak out.
“Those who want to form a parallel government should continue to think like that. We are waiting for them. Anyone who causes trouble will be dealt with.”
He warned members of the party against joining issues with those he said might want to cause trouble in the country.
He said, “Some other politicians and campaigners are threatening fire and brimstone. Do not join them.
“Some other parties are pulling down other people’s posters. That is primitive. Please, do not join them. Every Nigerian must be free to campaign anywhere.”
The President charged those who would be responsible for his campaign to be civil, decorous and law-abiding.
He said he had already promised Nigerians and the international community that the elections would be free, fair, credible and violence-free.
The President said, “Without doubt, the forthcoming elections will mark a critical point in our nation’s history. The eyes of the international community are focused on the transition that lies ahead of us; the fifth post-military rule general elections that will be conducted under a civilian dispensation in Nigeria.
“The world is asking: will Nigeria get it right? My categorical response to that is: Yes, we must. And surely, we will. It is your duty to ensure that through your campaigns, and activities, this primary objective is not lost.
“Our commitment to free, fair, credible, and violence-free elections remains unshaken. That should also be your own commitment as we go to the field to seek the people’s mandate once again.”
He asked members of the campaign committee to always remember that the PDP belonged to democrats.
The President added, “You must always remember that we are a party of democrats, not a party of hooligans. We are a party of patriots, not a party of renegades.
“We are a party of statesmen and women. We are a party of builders and not destroyers. We are a party of committed servants of the people.
“You must let our people see once again, that we are in this to serve and to move Nigeria forward, not to move Nigeria backwards.”
In his acceptance speech, Ali said he was sure that marketing the candidacy of President won’t be a problem.
Calling on Nigerians to vote for Jonathan, he wondered why an opposition came up with an “octogenarian in this period when the world is moving toward the younger ones.”
None of the opposition party presidential candidates, including Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the APC, is an octogenarian. Buhari is 72.
Making a mockery of the broom, the symbol of the APC, Ali said, “Never has it happened that a sweeper would become a king in the same palace where he sweeps. Not even with or without certificate.”
In his speech, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih, asked the members of the PCO to work hard in order to win the elections.
Anenih said, “The presidential candidates of other parties cannot boast about any achievements in our democratic journey since they have not got the experience.
“So, I expect that Nigerians will prefer continuity of this administration’s robust Transformation Agenda to the so-called change just to satisfy some personal and narrow interests.
“Now, as we all know, the presidential election is the first in the series of elections scheduled by INEC to hold on February 14 along with the National Assembly elections.
“What this means is that we must work assiduously to win the best prize, which is the presidential election. Once we do that, the victory will expectedly have a bandwagon effect on the February 28 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.”
Others who spoke at the event were the Senate President, David Mark, and the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio.
Both described the President as a good product.
