President Goodluck Jonathan declared on Tuesday that that ongoing gang-up by all the forces within the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) will not succeed in 2015.
He also vowed that the ruling party will reclaim Kano and Sokoto states in 2015, saying the former governors of those states who are now back in the PDP- Ibrahim Shekarau and Attahiru Bafarawa respectively would help them realize the dream.
The President spoke at the north-west zonal unity rally held at the Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna.
He told the party members, “We are told that some people are ganging up in different names and we can assure you that do not be bothered about any gang up.
“From 1999 there was a gang up. Two to three parties came together. Presidential candidate from one, Vice Presidential candidate from one, Secretary to Government from one all from different parties but they did not go anywhere.
They gang up before, they failed and they will continue to fail. The gang up will go, just like when you mix different acidic contents in a container.
“Do not be worried, it is not a new thing, they will continue to gang up but they will continue to fail,” a confident Jonathan told the party supporters.
Justifying the zonal rally, the President said it was meant to further re-unite the party members as well as welcome returning members.
He said, “The North-West is a special zone. This is the only zone that we have seven states and the zone that has the highest population in this country.
“We are here for a unity rally and to re-assure all of you that the PDP is the only party that can lead this country to the next level”.
Citing great party like the African National Congress of South Africa, which he said is over 103 years old and has remains ANC from inception, the President said “If a party keep changing colours and changing names, you should know that such party has nowhere to go”.
He then urged, “Be committed to PDP, you are in PDP, you are in the right place to be. PDP is the only party that can lead us to where we want to go. PDP is the only democratic party that anybody can rise up to the highest level in the party and in the country.
“Other parties will not give me and you the opportunity to be where we want to go. So, continue to support the PDP and continue to be with the PDP”.
Also addressing the crowd, Vice President Namadi Sambo, noted that the President has fulfilled his campaign promises to the zone in the areas of education, water and transportation, saying they would continue to support him.
On his part, Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa tasked the national chairman to woo the aggrieved governors that defected to APC back to PDP ahead of 2015 elections.
He said, “We are trying to unite the party because of the events of the last 6 months. We have to be tolerant. Unity and reconciliation are very important for us in the party before we face 2015”.
The party’s National Chairman, Adamu Muazu, had this to say, “We remain the only national party, the party to beat. Our records speak for us.
“We have dished out dividends of democracy to every nook and cranny of the country. We have reached every ward, zone, council state and region and every person in the country,” he said.
Present at the rally were Governors Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, Kaduna, Sule Lamido, Jigawa, Ibrahim Shehu Shema, Katsina, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, Gombe, Sa’idu Nasamu Dakingari, Kebbi, Theodore Orji, Abia , Godswill Akpabio, Akwa Ibom, Henry Seriake Dickson, the Deputy Governor of Sokoto, Mukhtar Shehu Shagari.
Others were chairman of the board of trustees, Tony Anenih, former chairman of the party, Ahmadu Ali, former governors Ibrahim Shekarau and Attahiru Bafarawa as well as other party chieftains from the zone.
