Anenih to Jonathan: Declare your intention to contest 2015 poll

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to declare his intention to contest the 2015 presidential election by October ending.
Speaking Sunday night at the post-convention dinner hosted by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Anenih insisted the time is ripe for the President to declare, adding that preparation towards 2015 must start in earnest.
He said: “We must be preparing for the 2015.
“I think the time is ripe.
“I think between now, September, and by October ending, we should tell our people where you are going.”
On the crisis rocking the party, the BoT chairman expressed optimism that the ongoing reconciliation involving party elders would yield positive fruit.
He assured all party members: “We will not fire any shot and we will win the war.”
Chief Anenih also said the splinter group should not be recognised, insisting: “We should not recognise any opposition within the PDP.
“The elders are all behind you.
“At the end of this journey by 2015, we will come back again like this to celebrate.”
Those present apart from the newly elected National Executive Committee members of the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur faction of the PDP were Vice President Namadi Sambo, Anenih and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekwerenmadu.
Also present were former PDP National Chairmen, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, Chief Barnabas Gemade, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Chief Ezekwezili Nwodo and Dr. Bello Haliru.
The governors present were Chief Theodre Orji (Abia), Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Ibrahim Dakwambo (Gombe), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Jonah Jang (Plateau), Captain Idris Wada (Kogi), Ramallan Yero (Kaduna), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Garba Umar (the Acting Governor of Taraba State).
Other party chieftains present were Senator Andy Uba, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Chief Olabode George, Prof. Jerry Gana, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, ministers and presidential aides.
In his short remarks, President Jonathan described the crisis rocking the ruling party as “a minor disagreement” that will soon be resolved.
He noted that those who walked out of the last special convention are still within the party since they did not form or join another party.
President Jonathan said: “We will resolve all our differences.
“Today, what I can only assure you is that PDP is intact and PDP will remain intact and PDP will continue to show leadership.
“These minor challenges will soon be behind us and all those who left will come back.”
Jonathan said the ruling party has remain consistent since inception, adding: “Without PDP, there will be no democracy in Nigeria.”