“For now, the PDP is the only political party we have in Nigeria that does not have one person whose word is law. Most other parties have individuals whose words are the laws. In the PDP, there is no such person whose word is the law.”
That was president Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday, speaking at the 59th National Executive Committee meeting of the Peoples Democratic Part in Abuja.
President Jonathan said the Peoples Democratic Party was the only true political party in the country, dismissing the others as one-man-show platforms.
The president said that the words of individuals were laws in opposition parties and that it was only in the PDP that possessed the structure to use dialogue to settle disagreements among members.
The major opposition political parties in the country are the Action Congress of Nigeria, the All Nigeria Peoples Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance and the Congress for Progressive Change.
Without mentioning the name of any opposition party, the president said the composition and structure of the PDP gave it an edge over the other political parties in the country.
Of course the president’s party, the PDP, has dominated national government since the return of democracy in 1999 and its members say it is the biggest party in Africa.
The President said though members of the PDP sometimes disagreed amongst themselves on issues, such issues were usually resolved by the party.
According to him, the ability of the PDP to resolve issues among its members makes it a better party than those in opposition.
Jonathan said, “Though we disagree to agree, that gives us an edge. And that makes us stronger and we will continue to maintain that. We need to unite and there is need for unity among us. What holds us together is the unity and as a political party we must disagree, but whatever the level of disagreement, finally (at the end) we normally agree on a common front and that is what will continue to make the PDP a dominant party.
“Our ability to agree and our ability to take a common position, our ability to allow people to make input is our strong point.”
The President also congratulated the PDP governors who won their cases at election petitions tribunals.
He mentioned the names of the governors of Akwa Ibom and Benue states, Chief Godwin Akpabio and Gabriel Suswam respectively.
Jonathan said, “I’m happy for those who have won their cases at the Supreme Court or election petitions tribunals, like Akpabio and Suswan.
“We thank God for delivering them, especially the governors of Akwa Ibom and Benue states because we knew the plot against them. We thank God that we were able to withstand it (the plot).”
He also praised the members of the party for winning rerun polls at various levels in their states.
He specifically mentioned Imo and Oyo states where he said members of the PDP fought to win elections despite the fact that opposition parties were in government.
Earlier, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, had said the meeting would be the last to be called during the lifetime of the present leadership of the party.
He listed several challenges the party faced in the last four years, which he said included the death of former President Umaru Yar’Adua and the emergence of Jonathan as the party’s presidential candidate.
He also listed the resignation of two former chairmen of the party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor and Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo as part of the challenges.
He appealed to members of the party to work in harmony during the coming congresses where the members of the PDP’s National Working Committee would be elected.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Rufai Alkali, said the meeting had agreed on the zoning of its national offices.
According to him, the North-East will produce the next national chairman; South-South (deputy national chairman and national financial secretary) while South-West will produce national secretary and national auditor.
According to the zoning formula, the South-East will produce the national publicity secretary, deputy national secretary and woman leader.
The North-West is to fill the offices of national organising secretary and national treasurer while the North-Central will produce the national legal adviser and national youth leader. Alkali said NEC also received a proposal for the amendment of the party’s constitution and referred the committee’s report to another committee led by the President for examination.
Other members of the committee are Vice-President Namadi Sambo, six governors, six members of the National Assembly, three former chairmen of the party, former chairmen of the Board of Trustees and six members of the National Working Committee.