The president made the declaration at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, during PDP’s sensitisation rally where former governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa; Senator Chris Anyawu; Senator Ifeanyi Araraume; Chief Mike Ahamba; Chief Cosmas Iwu; Chief Lambert Iheanacho and Hon. Independence Ogunewe, returned to the party.
Jonathan said if the former members who defected to other parties returned within the period, they would be on equal pedestal with existing members and would enjoy the same privileges, otherwise, they would have to be on the queue.
Jonathan, who was obviously impressed by the turnout of defectors in Imo State, assured that there would be no discrimination against them in the PDP.
He said: “The message today is very clear and I believe some of my good friends are not here. We have opened the door for a few days. You join us these few days, the position you occupy is the position any other person will occupy. No discrimination.
“But if you don’t come and come later, you will queue behind your ward’s assistant chairman.
“So, the time to join us is now so that there will be nothing like discrimination in anything. The party is open for everybody. Equal rights and justice is guaranteed. We are a party that believes in justice and so, we must also believe in equal rights.
“For us, Imo State PDP has come together, everybody has equal rights, there is no discrimination. We call on all of you who are still watching that this is the best time to join us so that you can use the platform of PDP to express any interest you have.”
The president, who insisted that the occasion was not a campaign rally, said there will be no democracy in Nigeria without the PDP and extolled its qualities, which he said anyone wishing to join a party must consider.
According to him, “sometime in Nigeria, the young people get worried because we the politicians sometimes don’t even know what to convey to them by what we do.
“You ask ourselves, why should any person join a political party. There must be a reason for you to join a political party. The political scientists will give you so many theoretical reasons but those of us who are practical politicians will say that the first thing that drives you is the ideology of the party.
“And maybe the next thing you consider is whether the party is stable because nobody will go where experiments are still being done.
“And if you look at the PDP, you will know that among all the political parties, and that is true, they also know because you asked me to be here, I travel all over the world and I discuss with the high and mighty, and the tell you that, look, Nigeria is PDP and that anything that happens to PDP, it is not only Nigerians that get worried; other heads of state, especially in Africa, get worried because all of them believe that PDP is the only stabilising factor in the Nigerian political journey.
“There will no democracy without PDP and the reasons are obvious. In terms of ideology, since we started the PDP, the name has not changed, identity has not changed, the logo has not changed, the motto has not changed, our slogan has not changed.
“It shows that the party still believes in what they are because we believe we are doing the right thing and there is no need for mutation.
“If you talk about the promotion of democratic principles and the rule of law, you will agree with me that even some of the states where PDP lost election, including Imo State, where some people had to step aside because there were some problems in the party that were not too democratic and that is why you see these people stepping aside but now have come back.
“And of course, PDP has always been the best even when we have issues. Now, we must follow the rule of law and completely follow the concept and principle o democracy. And when you talk about inclusiveness, it is only PDP that people like me could be elected as president of this country.
“You don’t need to be a money bag to buy people. What you need to do is to be yourself and be a person of worthy character. The party will identify you and use you,” Jonathan said.
The president welcomed the returnees and was confident that PDP would regain Imo State in the next election.
Others who spoke at the event included Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, National Chairman of the PDP, Ahmed Muazu, chairman of its Board of Trustees (BoT) Tony Anenih, chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Chief Godswill Akpabio and the Supervising Minister of Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri, among others.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal was again conspicuously absent.
In another development, President Jonathan paid courtesy calls on the chairman of the South-East Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty, Eze C.I. Ilomuanya and the Obi of Onitsha, His Royal Highness, Alfred Achebe.
While in Onitsha, Jonathan described himself as the number one messenger in the country, saying everyone in public office is a messenger.
Jonathan assured that work on the second Niger Bridge would commence soon and also praised Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State for his prudent management of the resources of the state, assuring Achebe that Governor Obi being a member of the Economic Management Team, would continue to play a prominent role at the national level when he leaves office as governor.
The Obi of Onitsha commended the president for his commitment to transforming the country and especially his courage in convoking a national conference, which he said would be an opportunity to deliberate for the good of the country.
Source: Tribune
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