The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party is contemplating fielding President Goodluck Jonathan as its sole candidate for the 2015 presidential primaries, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.

The thinking within the top echelon of the party is that the party would emulate the United States democracy where the right of first refusal is usually given to the President.

Already, some members of the National Working Committee of the party were said to have favoured the arrangement, which would see Jonathan emerge as the sole candidate of the party.

According to the timetable for 2015 elections released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, conduct of parties’ primaries will commence on October 2, 2014 and end on December 11, 2014.

The Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, had at a dinner for the party members in Abuja in May 2013 advocated automatic ticket for the President and governors, who had performed.

He had said, “I do not see anything wrong, if the PDP considers automatic tickets for the President and its governors who have performed well and are seeking for a second term.

“It is my view that with the outstanding performance of President Jonathan in the areas of power, rail and water transportation, road construction, aviation reforms, education, agriculture, job creation, etc., the party should not find it difficult in granting him the opportunity to serve a second term, if he so desires.”

A PDP chieftain, who asked not to be named, told Saturday PUNCH during the week that the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu, had been holding secret meetings with some stakeholders to ensure that Jonathan emerges as the consensus candidate of the party.

A PDP chieftain said, “Mua’zu will soon put a committee in place to prevail on presidential aspirants on the party’s platform from the North to wait till 2019, when Jonathan’s planned second term tenure would have ended.

“Mua’zu wants Jonathan to emerge as the party’s consensus candidate so that a Northerner can be elected President in 2019 to spend two terms.

“Though the President has not declared his intention to seek re-election, his body language is indicating that he will soon seek Nigerians’ mandate for second term in office.

“Even with the way some groups have been mobilising support for him, one is convinced that Jonathan will soon emerge as the PDP consensus candidate.”

However, some of the NWC members were said to have argued that there was nothing wrong in allowing other aspirants to pick forms, which, they said would give a resemblance of transparency in the process.

Apart from this, it was also gathered that the NWC members said throwing the process open would bring money into the purse of the party.

When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, told one of our correspondents that the party had not decided on the matter.

He also said it would be wrong to assume what the party would do until it calls for nomination.

He said, “How do we know if the President will be the sole candidate when we have not called for nomination?

“We will call for nomination and anyone who picks the form will be free to contest. For now, we cannot say who will be the aspirants.”

Efforts to seek reactions of the President’s Senior Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Prof. Rufai Alkali, did not succeed as calls to his mobile telephone did not go through.

But the Chairman, Mobilisation and Organisation Committee, South-West of the PDP, Mr. Buruji Kashamu, said the party would not impose any consensus presidential candidate on the people.

http://www.punchng.com/news/2015-pdp-considers-automatic-ticket-for-jonathan/

Nice move. That's exactly what's practiced in the US.

Scared he might lose the primary election?

Interesting

This would be the death of PDP. I can only imagine the alliances that the North would form with the South West, Edo and Rivers state already belongs to the opposition. Awka Ibom is on its wey to the APC. Imo state na APC property

Goodluck Jonathan had better use his thinking cap and ensure there is a primary, it's better he rigs it and win, that way he has shown small democratic tendencies but if he uses veto power to impose himself he would only create more enemies and further alienate himself from the northerners.

Am waiting for someone who would say the North doesn't matter.

In other news Man Utd can't give me hypertension

www.nairaland.com/attachments/1665334_img_20140830_030013_jpeg427167fda01a860ba2386d4bf7320963

Of course.....only God in heaven can make this political.experiment called democracy to make meaning in this nation....

Almost Everyone is for sale

This is a funny country no wonder monsieur Ebele azikwe mai nassarawa is always smiling

Gud move, dey already knw dat no oder person derserves it, long live pdp , long live d president may ur reign b long, long live d federal repeblic of Nigeria

^^^Am pretty sure he will win d Primary election if conducted!

Modified!

I thought PDP practices internal democracy; ar least thats what mumunigerian and his occupy social media team always want us to believe.
There are other people that may be interested in the job, is Jonathan scared of primaries?

let them make it open so that APC will have no negatiön later.so that wouldn't say he didnt do primaries.

Story for the gods..

If only APC will give us a better candidate aside from Buhari; Tinubu and Rochas... Who will waste his vote in voting for gEJ

Na wa

Always afraid of a contest/interview/debate.

Always wanting to be unopposed.

Clueless as usual.

teeo: This would be the death of PDP

dis would b ur death

Rochas Okorocha gonna be APC Presidential candidate...Maybe after this election,his next party will be UPP cos PDP will be too hot 4 him

Iceking1:

dis would b ur death

Na you and your family go first die. Aniofia

Iceking1:

dis would b ur death

Ur blood de hot ooo

Jonathan second time automatic ticket by PDP is not out of place.











Good-luck to Goodluck.

If not Jonathan who else will it be!
Who the bowler hat fit, let him wear it!
The Jonathan we know is better than the creeping Janja'weed elements we already knew!

Let us stop decieving ourselves to thinking that GEJ won't be president come 2015, that is unimaginable, APC has no mentle to withstand GEJ in his incubency, people will still vote GEJ come 2015. Mind you APC has more problems to solve as regards the despration of its own aspirants. Atiku, buhari, kwakwanso ETC. As for me and my household we will vote GEJ.

Rich4god: If only APC will give us a better candidate aside from Buhari; Tinubu and Rochas... Who will waste his vote in voting for gEJ

Its too early to panic my dear. Rochas will make U guys proud n as for GEJ, he will surely win! Just relax n enjoy d victory!

deeobserver209: Nice move. That's exactly what's practiced in the US.

Bros which US ooo.

priscaoge: Am pretty sure he will win d Primary election!

nt pretty sure , he will win it

Not news,who else will PDP field,save for GEJ..

APC on the other hand are just ranting,no credible candidate from them,fielding Buhari,Tinubuor Rochas is suicide mission.

#TeamGEJ.

GEJ til 2019......haterz go vex now, but I don't care.

The fear of Sule Lamido....

gbaskipro: Let us stop decieving ourselves to thinking that GEJ won't be president come 2015, that is unimaginable, APC has no mentle to withstand GEJ in his incubency, people will still vote GEJ come 2015. Mind you APC has more problems to solve as regards the despration of its own aspirants. Atiku, buhari, kwakwanso ETC. As for me and my household we will vote GEJ.

Thus says d LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!