By Akeem Oyetunji President Goodluck Jonathan has said that Nigeria has what it takes to conduct free, fair and credible elections that will be acceptable to the international community.
He gave the assurance on Tuesday, while inaugurating the Jonathan/Sambo presidential campaign organization ahead of the February 14 election at the Legacy House, Maitama, Abuja.
The presidential campaign organization is headed by a former national chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmadu Ali, while the chairman of Board of Trustees, Tony Anenih will serve as the Campaign Adviser.
“The world is asking: will Nigeria get it right? My categorical response to that is: Yes, we must. And surely, we will. It is your duty to ensure that through your campaigns, and activities, this primary objective is not lost,” he told party chieftains.
According to him, members of the Campaign Organisation have been invited to serve the party in recognition of their loyalty, dedication, commitment to the democratic cause, and your outstanding individual talents.
He said, “you also have all that it takes- the passion, intellect, drive, commitment, and the know-how to run a focused, robust and purposeful campaign that will further endear our ticket to the electorate and bring us victory once again”.
While charging them to eschew violence and hooliganism but to behave like true democrats, the President said, “Our commitment to free, fair, credible, and violence-free elections remains unshaken. That should also be your own commitment as we go to the field to seek the people’s mandate once again”.
He spoke further, “You must always remember that we are a party of democrats, not a party of hooligans. We are a party of patriots, not a party of renegades. We are a party of statesmen and women. We are a party of builders, not destroyers.
“We are a party of committed servants of the people. You must let our people see once again, that we are in this to serve and to move Nigeria forward, not to move Nigeria backwards.
“In the coming campaigns and elections, we must see to it that Nigeria triumphs and that democracy win. No other cause can be greater than the Nigerian cause. Without Nigeria, there will be no President.
“We have an obligation to consolidate our democracy, strengthen our institutions and project Nigeria positively by running a disciplined, issues-based and civilized campaign. That is my charge to you all”.
The President also used the occasion to call on party members to shelve their grievances and work to ensure that the party emerges victorious at the polls.
“I call on all party members to stand as one in the face of the assignment ahead of us. Losing a party primary should not result in a loss of faith in the party. No election should be a do or die contest.
“Whatever grievances we have can be resolved within the family and will be resolved. There is a job to be done, and all loyal members of our great party must play their expected roles.
“I urge members of the Presidential Campaign Organization to go round the country, propagating our message of transformation and continuity.
“We have everything that it takes to run an excellent and victorious campaign. Our great party has demonstrated to Nigerians that it is the party with the broadest appeal. We are the strongest and the biggest. We have engaged the people of Nigeria positively with people-friendly policies, which have moved Nigeria forward”.
“Some other politicians and campaigners are threatening fire and brimstone. Do not join them. Some other parties are pulling down other people’s posters. That is primitive. Please, do not join them. Every Nigerian must be free to campaign anywhere.
“We will ensure that the people’s vote counts and that their will prevails, as it should, in every true democracy, he assured”.
In his address, the Campaign Adviser, Tony Anenih, said the presidential tickets of other parties cannot boast of any achievements in the nation’s democratic journey since they have not got the experience.
He therefore, expressed optimism that Nigerians will prefer continuity of this administration’s robust National Transformation Agenda to the so-called CHANGE just to satisfy some personal and narrow interests.
Anenih said, “Now, as we all know, the presidential election is the first in the series of elections scheduled by the INEC to hold on February 14 along with the National Assembly elections.
‘What this means is that we must work assiduously to win the best prize, which is the presidential election. Once we do that, the victory will expectedly have a bandwagon effect on the February 28 Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections,” he noted.
The Director General of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation, Ahmadu Ali, will be assisted by three Deputy Directors-General.
They are: Prof Tunde Adeniran (Campaign Secretariat), ex-Governor Peter Obi (South) and the Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki (North).
