PDP convention: Jonathan, Atiku call for unity in PDP

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to remain united, shelve their differences and work for the return of the party in 2019.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who just returned after dumping the All Progressives Congress (APC), described the PDP as home and called on members to respect the constitution of the party at all times for better cohesion.

Jonathan stated this on Saturday during the PDP National convention at the Eagle square, Abuja.

The former President, who received thunderous ovation from the crowd, commended members of the party across the country and those in the diaspora for working hard to build a strong party.

He thanked the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, the members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) for maintaining a strong democratic culture.

Jonathan said, “The PDP has become a reference point as we approach another election year. We are getting stronger and those who left are coming back. Ours is a party with enviable history and records.

“We have given Nigerian democracy a good push because we insist on good measures. The PDP is the only stable party, a party that never fails. We have never changed our name. PDP is a party that has never deceived Nigerians”.

Jonathan admonished those who will be elected at the convention to ensure that everyone is carried along.

He said, “We plead that those who will win the election today will carry everybody along. In PDP there are no losers. After this election, we shall come together not just to put the party together but to put Nigeria together.

“As leaders of the party, we shall make sure we resolve all iota of disunity among all party members.”
He challenged members of the party to be proud of the party at all times.

“Tell all of them that the PDP has come back live. Tell all of them That 2019 is for the PDP. Tell of them that the PDP will recover all lost grounds”

He also encouraged members of the party “who are undergoing one form of persecution or the other that it will definitely have an expiring date.”

Adding his voice, Atiku expressed his joy in returning to the party, saying that he has always believed in a united Nigeria.
He said, “It is great to be home. I believe in one Nigeria where all our people have equal opportunity, where all have the same purpose.
This led us to the establishment of the PDP.

“This has led me into a lot of battle. I fought for tenure elongation. And today, I am proud to say that I have returned home to our party. I am proud to say that the PDP had a smooth transition to an opposition party, a transition that has become a model in Africa.

“We must unite as a party” Atiku added.

Atiku also also stated that the APC deceived and plunged the country into doom.

He said: “You see, with the APC our people are hungry, our country is not working. The APC promised us three million jobs a year and with APC Nigeria lost more than three million jobs. The APC promised us a united Nigeria, but today Nigeria is more divided and threatened by another civil war.

“We the PDP, kept this nation united and prosperous for 16 years. We made mistakes but we put Nigeria first.

“The PDP is the party that will restructure Nigeria. We will do that by free enterprise, invest in job creation.

“We are the truely national party and we must work to earn the trust of Nigerians again. My message today is that if the PDP is stronger, Nigeria will be stronger.

“We the PDP must embody the Nigerian vision. So at this very convention, let us elect the best leaders for our party. Leaders who truely understand what job creation means for our youths.”

Myke Uzendu and Oluchi Okoroafor