Former President Goodluck Jonathan has advised Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members not to make the mistake of electing wrong National Working Committee (NWC) members at the December convention.
Jonathan spoke when he received an aspirant for the party’s national chairmanship position, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, in his residence in Abuja yesterday.
He cautioned that the party could not afford to make mistake in choosing its next national chairman and publicity secretary, describing them as “very delicate positions”.
“This time around, we need a very courageous and vocal person to be the chairman.
“There are two positions that we must not make mistake on – the positions of the national chairman and that of the national publicity secretary, because I have worn the shoes before and I know where it pinches.
“If we make a mistake as a party and elect wrong chairman and publicity secretary, we are finished,” Jonathan said.
He said PDP, at this moment, needed courageous chairman, who in the face of persecution, would remain courageous to protect the party’s interest and defend democracy.
“We need very competent person and a team player, somebody who will not negotiate to get money from the aspirants to make them candidates.
“If you do that, you have destroyed the party because a party must come up with programmes and policies that will elect the best of the best.
“If you present the best material, the chances of your winning election are stronger than when you present a wrong material.
“This is key so that by 2019, when we go for the general elections, PDP will have majority in the states and national assemblies and of course, PDP must win the presidency,” he said.
Jonathan, who said that the December convention would be keenly contested, urged chairmanship aspirants to see the exercise as a family affair.
He commended the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the party, saying that they had done very well, especially during the period of crisis in the party.
Jonathan prayed for Dokpesi in his aspiration to become PDP chairman and described him as “a member who has done well for the party”.
Dokpesi urged Jonathan to ensure that the PDP came out of the December convention stronger and united.
He hailed the former president’s resilience and efforts in ensuring that the party’s leadership crisis was resolved.
THE NATION
