PDP Will Reclaim Edo, Rivers State, Says Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed the resolve of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to win in all the South-south states in the 2015 general elections.

He made the remark at the Unity Rally of the party on Saturday, which held in Benin, Edo state.

According to him, PDP controlled the zone until recently when it lost Edo and Rivers states to the opposition – a development he said would change as from 2015.

He said “in the South-south at the beginning of this democracy in 1999, we know the whole region was PDP, but today two states are out. But from 2015 to 2016, we will get all our states back.

“Edo state has returned to the PDP. In Rivers state, the opposition exists only on billboards, the state belongs to the PDP. So, allow their billboards to stay. We know the party that is controlling Rivers state. All what we need is unity”.

The president warned party members who are interested in contesting for one position or the other to be cautious and exercise restraints in their activities so as not to cause disaffection in the party while pursuing their personal ambitions.

“We are here for unity rally in Edo state; we are not here for campaigns. We would come back for campaigns. We are here for unity rally because we must bring all our members together, especially now that elections are coming. Elections are coming, we have different interests.

“So, we use this platform to appeal to our people at every level of election that so many people would be interested in these positions, but only one person would go at a time. But, we belong to the same party. So, when we are struggling to get to these positions, we should be careful so that we don’t create enemies for ourselves”, he said.

Jonathan also told the party supporters projects executed by his administration including the rehabilitation and construction of roads with the commissioning of the dualised Benin-Ofosu road in the state.

In his remarks on the occasion, the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu, challenged the opposition to bring out their best candidates to slug it out with Jonathan at the 2015 Presidential election since the party had decided to adopt the president as its sole candidate.

“Recently, all strata of our party decided to endorse our president as the candidate of our party. What is intriguing to me is that the opposition of our government were proving they know our constitution more than us. I advise them to shut up and mind their business.

“Let’s see how they go about their own. For us, we have decided. It is up to you (opposition) to bring up your best to come into competition with ours. I want to assure you that the PDP is the party to beat”, Mu’azu boasted.