2015 Nigerian Presidential Election: Namadi Sambo supporters kickstart campaign

Oct 9, 2011 – 2015 Nigerian Presidential Election: Namadi Sambo supporters kickstart campaign

The 2015 presidential race appears to have got under way after supporters of Vice President Namadi Sambo yesterday in Kaduna besieged the North West Zonal meeting of the PDP, carrying posters with the inscription “The promise, Namadi project.”

The Vice President was at the meeting.

His supporters also distributed pamphlets highlighting his contributions to the success of the Jonathan administration.

The PDP zoning arrangement favours the North for the presidency after the tenure of Jonathan

Sources at the meeting said the Vice President is determined to succeed President Jonathan

However, the Vice President at the meeting stressed the need for the party to reach out to the people to reclaim the seats it lost in the last elections and expressed satisfaction with the performance of election tribunals across the country so far.

According to him, It is heartwarming to note that the Election Petitions Tribunal have had cause to determine election petitions under a conducive atmosphere and delivered judgments reflective of the true wishes and aspirations of the people.

He said:”Our great Party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has recorded great milestone in these petitions where the tribunals ordered for re-elections having found irregularities, malpractices, manipulations and other negative vices perpetrated by our opponents to get a favourable outcome of such elections, even in areas that were adjudged not to be our strongholds or domain”.

“The Senatorial as well as Representative re-runs in Katsina State as well as some parts of the country attest to this claims. We should muster enough strength to reclaim what rightly belongs to us by effectively sensitizing our people on the need to vote for the Party that will transform Nigeria through the provision of various infrastructural facilities such as power, water, roads, bridges and other streamlined programmes such as good healthcare delivery system, education for all and provision of the good things of life that our people earnestly so desire to improve our overall socio-economic status.

“The presence of peace is a sine-qua-non for any meaningful development to take place, until and unless we partner with each other, as well as Government to expose perpetrators of these dastardly acts so that the hitherto relative peaceful situation that have existed overtime is fully restored.

“As a Party that is fully organized and vibrant, well noted for its adoption of Rule of Law and Natural Justice in the discharge of its activities, the decision to hold Party congresses and national convention to properly position the Party to face the future challenges that lay ahead is paramount.

“Accordingly, our zone, which co-incidentally is the largest in terms of number of states, requires our full participation and articulation in our strategic approaches in ensuring that the forthcoming congresses and conventions are peacefully conducted and successful in the long run. The assembly of the cream of our Party faithfuls at this meeting only signals and lends credence to our desire to ensure that we develop new ideas, initiatives and innovations that will further solidify the Party and move it forward.

“I therefore call on us to approach today’s meeting with a clear mind and conscience and to develop more pragmatic ways that will consolidate the strength of our Party by embarking on people-oriented projects and programmes in each tier of Government that will not only improve the lives of our people but will banish poverty amongst our citizens.

“We must shun all overtures by those who are bent on destroying the Party through anti-Party activities and be unified in our quest to strengthen a Party that has made its mark and improved the lives and well-being of our citizens. We must be unified and steadfast for the growth and strength of our great party and in the interest of our dear citizens”.

Sources told The Nation that the VP is encouraged in his bid following agitation by some Northern power brokers in the belief that the President will not run for a second term.

Yesterday’s meeting was attended by four of the six PDP governors in the North West, and two Deputy governors.

The Governors of Kaduna, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, Kebbi’s Usman Dakangari, Kano’s Musa Kwankwaso and Katsina’s, Ibrahim Shema were in attendance while Jigawa and Sokoto States sent in their respective Deputy Governors.

Others who attended the meeting were the Defence Minister, Mohammed Haliru Bello, former Speaker, House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’aba among others.

In a communiqué, the meeting called on all party members across the zone to take advantage of the current party’s constitutional amendment and emphasized the need for discipline among party members and direct the formation of disciplinary committees at all levels of the party as provided for in the party’s constitution.

They also formed the zonal election committee to work with the party in Sokoto and Katsina states to ensure the success in the forthcoming elections in the states and congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo as well as the governors for the victories at the April general elections. (The Nation)