Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Monday declared that despite the defeat of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the 2015 general elections, the opposition party remains the biggest and strongest party in Nigeria.
He further declared the party will bounce back in 2019, stressing that the outcome of the last general election was a minor setback which didn’t diminish the party.
The former president however advocated for the strengthening of institutions in the country, while responding to a complaint over the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under this administration.
The former president made these remarks while receiving a delegation of the PDP Strategy Review and Inter party committee who visited him at his private residence in Abuja to present a copy of their report to him.
The former President lost the 2015 presidential elections under the PDP platform to former head of state Muhammadu Buhari.
Besides Jonathan, the strategy committee, led by Jerry Gana, a former Information Minister, also presented their report to two former founding members of the party, namely former chairman of the party, Bamanga Tukur and Tony Anenih, despite their resignation from partisan politics.
Tukur, also noted that PDP remains the largest party far beyond the shores of Nigeria. He however lambasted those defecting on a perceived promise of better future, likening them to those running to Europe for a better future that is not true.
Anenih, on his part, blamed selfish among some party leaders for the state of the party today. He said the party could have gone beyond its present status but for the selfishness among some party leaders.
He however charged the party leadership to engage in constructive criticism.
But Jonathan while commending the party’s leadership and committee on the outcome of the work, said: “I am among the persons who believe that for a nation to grow, the institutions must be very strong, just like you mentioned about INEC.
“There is no way a nation will grow with weak institutions because everything about politics is about the people, not about the Individuals.
“And as long you are interested in the people, you are interested in growth of the society, the development of the nation.
“The only thing that will make impossible is the the institutions must be strong.
You see as powerful as America, look at President Donald Trump decision and the court say no u can do this an of course they have to shut down one out to move further. That is the strength of an institution. That is the only way individuals could be regulated so that you can grow.”
Speaking about the faith of his party ahead of 2019, he said: “PDP is still the biggest and the strongest party. In respective of what happened in 2015 general elections, yes we lost the presidential election but that doesn’t diminish us. Every other party still knows that PDP is a leading party.
“Losing the presidency is something temporary. We should be able to get that position back as long as we are able to get our act together.
I am happy that you people are working towards that” he said.
The former president however advocated the use of more statutory delegates for the party’s primaries to check imposition of candidates.
He also endorsed the alliance-talks between PDP and other political parties.
While addressing the committee at his residence, Tukur expressed happiness that the PDP is now rebranding and trying to return power genuinely to the people, adding that there is no place in the country where you do not find a member of the party.
