PDP won’t impose candidates in 2015 – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has assured members of the Peoples Democratic Party that the leadership of the party will not impose candidates ahead of the 2015 general election.
The President, who was receiving defectors from the All Progressives Congress at the Ilorin Metropolitan Square, Kwara State on Monday, said members would be free to aspire to any position and test their popularities.
The defectors were: Muhammed Dele Belgore, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, Princess Bilikisu Gambari, Alhaji Abdulraham Abdulrasaq, Rev. Bunmi Olusonna, Alhaji Akeem Lawal, who is the son of a former Governor of the state, Ahmed Lawal.
President Jonathan declared that the era of godfatherism was over, adding that there was no room for dictatorship in the party any longer.
According to him: “PDP is not for a dictator because it encompasses all Nigerians irrespective of his or her status and also has members in every voting unit across the country.
“PDP is not for an individual, it is not for a dictator, there is no more godfatherism and no more imposition in the party.
“We will ensure this is in place in order to allow the people to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
“It is the people that matter in politics and not an individual because when you get into politics, you have to think of people who voted for you and not be thinking about yourself.
“If you are to get involved in politics, it is your people that matter, not yourself.
“To get involved in politics, you have to think about your people and not yourself.
“People who think about the people follow the people’s party and PDP is the only people’s party.
“PDP is the party that even if you go outside Nigeria, you ask which the political parties you have in Nigeria are, you will say PDP and others because it is only in PDP that every polling unit, not just wards, that you have PDP members.
“We don’t have dictators in PDP.
“We have people who believe in the people.
“That is why in PDP we talk about one man, one vote.
“No more imposition, no more godfatherism.”
President Jonathan said all those elected on the platform of the party have free hands to execute their programmes without interference from any quarters.
He stated further: “I am a President now.
“I have a governor in my state.
“I have never controlled him because he was elected by Bayelsans.
“He has to serve Bayelsans and not Goodluck Jonathan.
“Though we monitor your activities but we will give you the freedom to work.
“It is only in PDP that the governor serves the people of the states and the President serves Nigeria.
“PDP is the only party that will liberate everybody and a state like Kwara State, it is only PDP that can give you what you want.”
President Jonathan described the Ilorin rally as a “liberation rally”, saying it was unique.  He added: “So today, this rally is a unique rally.
“It is a freedom rally.
“This rally is a rally to liberate everybody and after this rally today, every Kwara son and daughter is free.
“Free to play the politics the way they want it and play the politics the way they want it.
“It is only PDP that can give people freedom.
“We are here for freedom of our people.
“We were here in 2011 for the campaign for the general election and we are here today and we have seen the crowd, the turn out are the same if not more.
“It only means that everybody that matters is in PDP.”
The President expressed delight at the reception accorded the leadership of the party, saying: “We have seen the reception.
“W; we have seen the crowd and we are quite elated.”
Vice President Namadi Sambo; the Senate President, David Mark; and the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Governor Godswil Akpabio of Aka Ibom State, also addressed the crowd.
Speaking, the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, assured members of the party that the rally would be followed by many good things for Kwara State people.
A key figure among the defectors and the defunct ACN governorship candidate in the state, Muhammed Dele Belgore (SAN), expressed delight that President Jonathan was able to receive them, saying: “The people of Kwara State will deliver for him in 2015 general elections.”
Present at the rally were Governors Babangida Aliyu of Niger State; Liyel Imoke of Cross Rivers; the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Hon. Yomi Awoniyi; the Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Mukthar Shagari; the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisah Metuh; and the Minister of Sport, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.
Others included the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tonny Annenih; former National Chairmen of PDP, Barnabas Gemade and Senator Ahmadu Ali, all the members of the National Working Committee of PDP; and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.