Don’t use and dump PDP members, Mu’azu tells Jonathan, governors

The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Adamu Mu’azu, has warned President Goodluck Jonathan and governors against injustice in the party, saying the ruling party has been degraded by “Use and Dump” politics.

Mr. Mu’azu said opposition parties have fed on PDP’s failure to reward its members, who worked for the party, its governors or the president.

“Mr. President, I want to appeal to you to consider it a challenge to discuss with your governors, Senators and all elected officials of PDP that members of the PDP should not be used and dumped, adhere to equity, fairness and justice,” Mr. Mu’azu said Tuesday.

Mr. Mu’azu spoke at the inauguration Goodluck/Sambo 2015 Presidential Campaign Organisation in Abuja.

“A lot of our members have left because they have been used and dumped. The membership of other parties, APC, APGA draw substantial members of their parties from the PDP,” he said.

The party chairman however urged opposition parties to stick to issues during their campaigns.

“We are beating you when it comes to issues. You are only promising the people, but we have already done what you are promising,” he said.

Mr. Jonathan inaugurated the Ahmadu Ali-led Presidential Campaign Organisation with a call on PDP campaigners to be civil, decorous and law-abiding in their activities.

Mr. Jonathan urged PDP members and supporters to refrain from pulling down other people’s campaign posters as the opposition was doing.

Mr. Jonathan said his “credible performance” in the last four years should be their strongest selling point as they go to the campaign fields.

The president said he was determined to keep his promise of credible and violent-free elections to Nigerians and the international world.

He said: “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. 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.

“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.’’

The president said on no account should the party’s faithful and supporters join opposition politicians and campaigners “who are threatening fire and brimstone’’.

He frowned at the pulling down of other people’s posters by the opposition, describing it as primitive.

“Every Nigerian must be free to campaign anywhere. Flaunt our achievements in all parts of the country, tell the story of what we have achieved and let the facts and the figures be heard in every nook and cranny of Nigeria.

“In doing this, you must be civil, decorous and law-abiding.

“I have repeatedly promised Nigerians and the international community that as much as it lies within our powers, the coming general elections will be free, fair, credible and violence-free.

“I made that pledge with all seriousness and I fully intend to fulfil it. As agents of the ruling party, all eyes will be on you during the campaign and elections. I, therefore, expect nothing but the highest standards of exemplary conduct from you as your worthy contribution to the fulfilment of our pledge of peaceful and successful elections,’’ he said.

Mr. Jonathan cautioned party members and supporters against joining “those who threaten to start fires and turn them into infernos in our country”.

“I assure you and all Nigerians that whoever foments trouble before, during and after the elections will be promptly and decisively dealt with according to the law.

The president noted that the PDP government had made significant strides in every sector of the economy in the last four years despite the security challenges.

“We have everything 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.

“We have sustained the democratic tradition. We have strengthened democratic institutions. We inherited a rather complex security challenge but we are waging a determined war against it.

“We are succeeding in preventing terrorists and insurgents from turning more of our communities into enclaves for their dastardly activities.”