2015: President Jonathan To Formally Declare Intention On November 11

President Goodluck Jonathan will declare his intention to seek re-election in 2015 on November 11, Chairman of the Presidential Declaration Committee, Dr. Haliru Bello, has revealed.

Bello, while Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the committee’s inaugural meeting at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa on Friday said the President had tasked the committee with organising the formal declaration.

“The President gave us the task to organise the modality of creating a platform for him to meet Nigerians and announce his response to the various calls for him to come out and declare his interest in the presidential election,” he said.

“The President has not said anything yet but it is like all Nigerians have called on him. It is our honest hope that he will come out and say yes to the demand of multitude of Nigerians.

“We expect he will say yes but we cannot say yes for him. We will wait for him to speak.

“The date that is fixed is Tuesday, November 11. On that day, there will be a forum for the President to meet Nigerians to announce his decision.

“The venue is yet to be decided. That will be decided at our next meeting. When we come out on November 11, the President will face the people of Nigeria and say yes to their demand.

“If he says yes, it will be yes. If he says no, then it is negative. But you are aware that our party, the PDP in all its organs, from the caucus to the Board of Trustees, NWC had decided that President Jonathan should be given the first option of refusal with the PDP ticket.

“If he is going to contest, the PDP will give him preference. As the President, he has performed and we are satisfied with what he has done” he said.

PDP had earlier given a one-week ultimatum to aspirants in the party for them to formally declare their intention. The new development may mean the ultimatum is not binding.

The National Convention of the PDP, where the sole candidature of President Jonathan would be ratified, should he decide to run for re-election, will hold on December 6.