•You can’t deny him right to seek re-election, say ex-PDP Govs
•Jega cautions politicians against over heating polity
By Joe Nwankwo and Rotimi Akinwumi, Abuja
President Goodluck Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan has been urged to resist the temptation of joining the race for the 2015 Presidential ambition.
Factional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – New PDP – under the leadership of Abubakar Kawu Baraje has fired back at Jonathan "open indication of his interest in seeking" to run for the President again in 2015, advising that he should resist such temptation.
In a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, the breakaway group said the comment credited to Jonathan in which he was said to have expressed his desire to seek another term in 2015 was an act with potentials of throwing the nation into a big chaos.
For the first time on Sunday in far away New York, Jonathan openly declared at a luncheon with Nigerian professionals in the United States that he was eligible to contest in the 2015 general elections because "we have a Constitution that makes a provision for a maximum of eight years for anyone who wants to become a president or a governor."
National Publicity Secretary, of the New PDP, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, in the statement on Tuesday, insisted that the comments by the President was an open indication of his interest in seeking another term without considering the implications of such on the peace and stability of the nation.
The group added that the covert declaration for the 2015 Presidency by Jonathan in U.S. on Sunday "does not portray him in good light as he (Jonathan) had earlier told Nigerians that four years was enough for him to turn the fortune of the nation round."
"Taking another shot at the Presidency in 2015," the party insisted, "will mean that the President is intent on dragging his luck too far, with possible negative effects on the nation."
The party reminded him that he had in 2011 told the world that he does not consider it laudable to stay in office as a substantive President beyond his current mandate, as the term provided for him was enough for him to achieve all his set goals as the nation's President.
Going back on his words, the party added, will show the world that the President is not a man who can be taken for his words.
"We are worried that Mr. President is intent on running despite his earlier promise not to do so and in spite of the wise counsel of well-meaning Nigerians, including respected elder statesmen.
"In February, 2011 while interacting with Nigerians and diplomats working in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union (AU) in Ankara, Turkey, President Jonathan clearly stated: 'I would have loved that the Nigerians in Diaspora vote this year (2011) but to be frank with you, that is going to be difficult now.
'Presently, the law does not allow the voting outside Nigeria and so this year Nigerians in Diaspora will not vote but I will work towards it by 2015 even though I will not be running for election.'
"Mr. President went ahead to add:
'Four years is enough for anyone in power to make significant improvement and if I can't improve on power within this period, it then means I cannot do anything even if I am there for the next four years.'
"This is a historical fact which Mr. President himself cannot deny now since he had two years to deny that statement but never did so.
"How does Mr. President want Nigerians and the entire world to see him for this volte-face?
"Why can he not keep his words as a man of honour instead of allowing himself to be misled by selfish advisers to go back on his words, thereby overheating the polity?"
The group, therefore, urged the President to heed the advice of good natured Nigerians who had told him to stay away from the carrot of the 2015 Presidency.
"Mr. President should heed the advice of well-meaning distinguished personalities such as constitutional law guru, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN, and Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, His Eminence, Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, all of whom have advised him to correctly read the handwriting on the wall and stay away from the 2015 Presidential race."
The New PDP believes that another term for Jonathan will amount to injustice and outright violation of the Constitution which does not permit anyone to stay in office for more than eight years or under any circumstance, take the oath of office more than two times.
"By 2015, President Jonathan would have served our nation for six solid years. This, surely, is enough time for him to achieve whatever he is capable of doing for Nigeria.
"What else is he looking for that is making him desperate to participate in the 2015 Presidential election despite warnings that doing so may spark a chain of events capable of culminating into the country's disintegration thereby bringing to pass the predictions of Lord Lugard that Nigeria as a nation by 2014 maybe history, which was later confirmed by the USA Think-Tank that Nigeria may disintegrate by 2015?" the party asked.
However, some ex-PDP Governors and some former governorship candidates of the party on Tuesday held a different view, condemning opposition to the 2015 Presidential ambition of Jonathan.
The group at a meeting in Abuja said it would be against natural justice to deny President a right to seek re-election in 2015.
Speaking under the platform of 'G13 Candidates/Former PDP Governors', the forum in supporting Jonathan for another term, said the drawbacks of past governments cannot be ascribed to the Goodluck/Sambo administration and therefore, "Jonathan should not bear the brunt of the past failures."
The forum was convened by former governorship candidate of PDP in Edo State, Charles Arhiavbere.
In his speech at the meeting, he also asked for immediate resolution of the crisis threatening the peace of the party, as he asked all well-meaning PDP members to embrace peace and return to the mainstream of the party under the leadership of Bamanga Tukur.
"The Constitution provides for eight years for every office and I believe that going by natural justice, if there is a tenant in a house and it is going for sale the first opportunity of refusal should go to the occupant.
"And I believe that based on the midterm report of president, we believe that he should be given a second term in office to finish his project. President Jonathan has the right," Arhiavbere said.
He also faulted those party chieftains who accused Jonathan of breaching his agreement of one term slot with them.
"It has not been published anywhere that he signed an agreement to run for one term. He should be given support and peaceful environment to implement his projects to completion."
Present at the meeting are former Minister of Sports, Damishi Sango and Abdulminu Aminu; Fidelis Seri; former Governor of Adamawa State, Boni Haruna; former Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Salimot Badru; governorship candidate of PDP in Ondo State, Sola Oke; a former minister Dauda Birmah; John David Dongi; Donald Iroha.
Former Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Umar Shinkafi, who was not present at the meeting was also said to be a member.
Also on Tuesday, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Attahiru Jega cautioned politicians against acts capable of over heating the polity ahead of the 2015 elections.
He enjoined them instead to continue to promote peaceful conduct and civility in their engagements.
Speaking at the third quarterly consultative meeting between INEC and political parties in Abuja, Jega also reminded leaders of the parties of the provision of Section 99(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which limits campaign periods to commence 90 days before the polling day and to end 24 hours to polling day.
He noted that the penalty for a breach of that section was provided in Section 99(2)(a) &(b).
"As we inch along towards the 2015 general elections, we have been intensifying effort to ensure full readiness in all fundamental respects.
"We therefore continue to solicit for your cooperation, partnership and support to ensure that we deliver free, fair and credible elections to Nigerians in 2015.
"In particular we urge you to do everything possible to sanitise the polity. You must have an enlightened self-interest, because keeping and sustaining our democracy is in the best interest of all politicians, as it is for all citizens.
"We must avoid the temptation to throw away the baby with the bath water. You must stop overheating the polity. You must continue to promote peaceful conduct and civility in political engagements and electioneering," Jega added.
