Politics
2015: Jonathan Versus Who (APC)?
President Goodluck
Jonathan, on Tuesday, November 12, 2014, stood to be counted by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2015 presidential election when he formally declared his intention to re-contest the election to the admiration of jubilant party faithful at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
“After seeking the face of God, in quiet reflection with my family and having listened to the call of our people nationwide to run, 1, Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, have accepted to re-present myself on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party for the re-election as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 2015 general elections,” the man of the moment, with these words, offered himself to the party for the second time after his party have zeroed on him as a presidential candidate.
The declaration of Jonathan provided an opportunity for him to showcase his strengths (achievements) against his weaknesses. Jonathan’s admission that corruption remained a stain on his administration may not border the people so much, but what he is doing to stem the tide. He reflected on the past and looked into the future. “I am convinced that I have served my past with Nigerians and it’s now time to look into the future. With your tremendous support, we have collectively done so much in the last three and a half years. But to take our country to the next level, there is still more work to be done,” Jonathan said: a statement that boosted his conscience and his preparation to launch Nigeria to greater development despite threats to national growth.
All Progressives Congress (APC), for sure may be disappointed when Jonathan reminded critics of his administration that “History has shown that the path of honours of a true leader is not to walk away from his people in the face of challenges.” But with a strong character, he said “we must stand together in adversary and overcome the threat to our development. We must defend our future,” apparently referring to insurgency that has taken a toll on the nation’s peace and pride.
Jonathan’s score card in education, power, aviation, water, agriculture, transport, port reforms, health, housing as well as oil and gas sectors, and his promise to do more if given another chance at the Presidency, kept the crowd that defied the scorching sun at the occasion, yelling for a man (Jonathan) whom Vice President Namadi Sambo is convinced is a “blessing to Nigeria.”
The Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, though acknowledged that the road to 2015 will be rough, is optimistic that “at the end of the tunnel, victory will be yours and the PDP,” adding that “those who are behind you are more than those that are against you” and in 2015, Nigerians will speak for him (Jonathan).
PDP leaders in some geo-political zones expressed confidence and capacity of Jonathan to deliver more on his transformation agenda to the delight of the citizenry. Erstwhile governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili said, the South-South had absolute trust and confidence in the capacity and capability of Jonathan to make Nigeria a better country. Prof. Jerry Gana, who spoke on behalf of the people of the North Central, described Jonathan as a catalyst for development.
Former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, on behalf of PDP supporters in the South East, said the success recorded so far by Jonathan’s administration demanded continuity. Alhaji Hassan Adamu (North-East Zone) scored Jonathan high especially in boosting education in the region with the approval of universities in Potiskum and Wukari, building of almajiri schools as well as connecting the region with rail trucks from Bauchi. Chief Bode George of the South West, however, reflected on the prophecy of their late leader, Pa Obafemi Awolowo, who had predicted that one day, an ijaw man would be the president of the country.
Though security challenge is the pain in the neck of Jonathan’s administration, Akpabio said “we will never be intimidated,” and likened Jonathan to David in the bible who is “fighting all the wars today so that future presidents in Nigeria will have peace.” Senate President, David Mark, who spoke on behalf of PDP lawmakers, however, urged the president to bring the issue of terrorism to an end.
True, there are misgivings about Jonathan and his party, but according to Niyi Akinnaso, “no matter how much we may hate the PDP and abhor Joanthan’s records, neither the party nor Jonathan could be written off completely.”
Writing on The Punch of Tuesday, October 14, 2014 under the title “Why Jonathan May Win Re-election,” Akinnaso said “since electoral politics is about the strategies and manoeuvres employed to win votes, there are three things Jonathan and the PDP have done that could be considered electorally smart. We may not like them at all, but they could eventually translate into victory.”
One of the things, according to Akinnaso, is that the perceived opponents of the party leadership were pushed out and those who would toe the President’s line were wooed into the party, even after they had left it.
The edging out of erstwhile controversial chairman of the PDP, Bamanga Tukur, also went along way to douse the tension in the party and reshaped it for electoral exploits. The fallout of that move was the unanimous endorsement of Jonathan’s candidacy, Akinnaso says.
The third issue, is a well-choreographed series of political adverts, including TV commercials, billboards and other promotional activities which portray Jonathan’s achievements and to which the public has been inundated with. Then, of course, the stomach infrastructure widely adopted by the PDP to catch millions of electorate who are willing to respond to the power of stomach politics; that is, if they are willing to toe the PDP line or respond to primordial tribal or religious politics or better still, the candidates likeability.
Jonathan’s approach to leadership may be misconstrued to mean weakness, yet APC’s inability to provide alternative to the president’s perceived weak policy has made the people to hold on to what they believe that “the devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know,” apparently because they do not believe that there is merit in the planned change of APC.
While Sabella Abidde (The Punch, September 24, 2014) queries what is the problem with the APC, Akinnaso, in the aforementioned write-up believes “For now, the APC’s failures are Jonathan’s gains,” adding that “the gains will multiply, if the APC come out bruised from its presidential primary.”
Already, there are ominous signs that the new APC is likely to run into troubled waters in its presidential primary as the camp of APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has been reportedly pressured by powerful leaders and some Northern clerics to dump its support for Muhammadu Buhari for the party’s presidential candidate and switch same to the presidential aspiration of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal who, with his entry, immediately turned into a major contender for the ticket in which former Vice Presidnt, Atiku Abubakar; Governor Rabiu Kwankwanso of Kano State; Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and newspaper publisher, Sam Nda-Isaiah are also contending.
Concerns are high that the religious extremism which PDP tagged Buhari may be injurious to the political outing of the APC in the South if the former head of State emerges as APC candidate. Even more disturbing is the fact that “The APC cannot present itself as a party with an ideology of change and still field a 72-year-old man who probably will want to run two terms that will expire when he is 81,” writes Abimbola Adelakun (The Punch, Thursday October 23, 2014).
In his write-up titled: “Why Buhari May Not Defeat Jonathan,” Adelakun said there is doubt in the mind of Nigerians that “Buhari will have a better run this time around and probably defeat Jonathan.” According to him, Buhari’s candidature may end up producing a boomerang effect that will favour Jonathan.
Those who oppose Buhari do so not necessarily because age is not on his side for lofty visions of nation building or economic ideas and ideals, but essentially and most importantly out of the fact that Buhari is no religious nut, but he is religion himself with large number of devotees.” No wonder, Adelakun concludes that “anybody with such authority over people’s minds should not be tried with the absolutism of power the Nigerian brand of democracy endows on a political leader.”
The entry of Tambuwal into the presidential race of APC may be seen as robust and a welcome development, but his chances to pick the ticket can be anybody’s guess. Unlike Buhari and Atiku that had contested nationwide election, Tambuwal only contested a federal constituency and won with stealing leadership of the House of Representatives.
Even as current permutations may favour Tambuwal to clinch the APC ticket, Osita Okechukwu, a strong loyalist of Buhari, notes that Tambuwal’s entry into APC presidential race “will neither diminish nor cut-off the celestial bond between Buhari and the masses and the middle class of our dear country.”
True, the heat is on in the camp of APC and the house divided against itself cannot stand in the face of undaunting challenge of who, among the contenders, gets the nod at the end of the day without the APC being battered in the process.
Now that the PDP smarted itself out of trouble by endorsing Jonathan for the presidential race, who is APC’s battle axe in the race? Time will tell and the earlier the better because Jonathan who is already at the track has taken off for the race.
Samuel Eleonu
President Goodluck Jonathan
In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, the party said it had taken note of Mr Obi’s defection alongside some of his supporters, as well as what it called a “lacklustre speech” delivered by the former Anambra State governor at the defection event.
“We wondered what new he intends to sell to Nigerians,” the party said, adding that it was not surprised by the move, having “since September 2024, parted ways with Peter Obi and some of his blind supporters in the National Assembly.”
According to the statement, the faction said it had patiently awaited Mr Obi’s exit, describing it as a blessing.
“The party is finally liberated by this defection and as party leaders, we count it as a blessing,” the party said.
The faction further disclosed that it had previously urged Mr Obi and his supporters to leave if they were unable to work with the party leadership.
It claimed that several lawmakers had been suspended for anti-party activities and that similar action would have been taken against Mr Obi but for the intervention of “some well-meaning Nigerians.”
It also blamed its internal crisis on Mr Obi and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, accusing them of sponsoring what it described as an insurrection against the Julius Abure-led leadership.
“The crisis we had in the Labour Party was caused by Peter Obi and the Abia State governor, Alex Otti,” the statement alleged, adding that it was surprising Dr Otti had not followed Mr Obi out of the party despite his suspension.
Reacting to Mr Obi’s defection event in Enugu, the faction claimed the gathering was largely boycotted by prominent political and traditional institutions in the South East, insisting that those present were “political spent forces who cannot win in their wards should there be an election today.”
It warned that this development signalled the failure of any future Mr Obi presidential or vice-presidential ambition, claiming he had “clearly lost the charm that had endeared him to the people prior to 2023.”
The faction also accused Mr Obi of misleading the South East during the 2023 elections, alleging that the region suffers political marginalisation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a result.
“He must be told that the South East lost out completely in President Ahmed Tinubu’s government because they trusted and believed in him in 2023,” the statement said, alleging disparities in ministerial appointments and infrastructure allocation to the zone.
The Abure-Led LP apologised to Nigerians for its decision in the last election.
“We gave Nigerians a candidate we thought was good for the nation in 2023, but time has since proved that we made the greatest political mistake. We plead for forgiveness from Nigerians,” the party said.
It urged Nigerians to watch out for a rebranded Labour Party, promising to present “the best prospect” capable of returning Nigeria to what it described as its “glorious days.”
steadily toward unity, justice, and shared prosperity”, he said.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at his country home in Ikere-Ekiti, Dr Oluyede said the development came as a shock, stressing that INEC supervised and monitored the PDP governorship primary that produced him as the party’s candidate.
According to him, INEC officials documented the process, completed all required forms, and even affirmed his candidacy in court through sworn affidavits arising from cases linked to the primary election.
He maintained that no court order or injunction currently restrains INEC from listing his name as the PDP candidate, arguing that the electoral body lacks the constitutional power to determine who emerges as a party’s nominee.
Dr Oluyede described such decisions as the exclusive responsibility of political parties, not the electoral umpire.
While playing down panic over the released list, Dr Oluyede noted that electoral processes often involve reviews and corrections.
He disclosed that he had commenced wide consultations, including engagements with PDP leadership and formal correspondence with INEC, to seek clarification on the omission and determine the next line of action.
The PDP candidate assured his supporters across Ekiti State that he would appear on the ballot, expressing confidence that the situation would be resolved in his favour.
He described attempts to exclude candidates from elections as dangerous and undemocratic, warning that such tactics undermine the people’s right to freely choose their leaders.
Dr Oluyede called on the people of Ekiti to reject any form of disenfranchisement, insisting that elections should be contests of ideas, records, and acceptance by the electorate rather than exclusionary maneuvers.
He also declared that the PDP in Ekiti had resolved its past internal crises and was now united, focused, and ready to win the forthcoming governorship election.
He urged party members and supporters to remain calm and focused, expressing optimism that, with divine grace and the will of the people, the PDP would emerge victorious at the polls.
Mr Obi spoke while formally declaring for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at a well-attended event in Enugu on Wednesday, where he outlined what he described as a fresh roadmap for rescuing the country from its socio-economic challenges.
Addressing party members, supporters and other stakeholders, the former governor stressed that leadership must be driven by integrity and accountability, warning against the culture of double standards in public office.
“We cannot continue to deceive our people. Leadership is about telling the truth and leading by example. You cannot promise one thing in public and do another in private. That is not leadership, and that is not the change Nigeria needs”, Mr Obi said.
He maintained that genuine national rebirth would only be possible if entrenched wrongs were corrected, adding that governance must be guided by competence, discipline and a clear sense of purpose.
Mr Obi also underscored the need for fresh thinking in the nation’s political space, urging political actors to move away from recycled ideas that have failed to deliver sustainable development.
“We must come with new ideas,” he said, adding that “Nigeria’s problems are not mysterious; what has been lacking is the courage and competence to address them differently. We need a new approach that puts people first and focuses on production, not consumption.”
Calling for a broad based political collaboration, Mr Obi appealed to parties and stakeholders across ideological divides to work together in the national interest.
“This country is bigger than any party or individual. All parties must come together to change the present trend. What matters is not the platform, but the future of Nigeria and the wellbeing of its citizens”, he declared.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Mr Obi challenged aspirants seeking elective offices to ensure transparency in their credentials, warning that the era of falsified certificates was drawing to a close.
“Anyone contesting for any position in 2027 must come with genuine certificates. All the machinery is now in place to verify what is genuine and what is not. Integrity must start from the very foundation of leadership”, he stated.
Drawing lessons from international development models, Mr Obi cited Rwanda and Indonesia as examples of countries that rose from difficult beginnings to become thriving economies through disciplined leadership and sound policies.
“These countries were once behind us,” he noted, adding that “Today, they are moving ahead because they chose competent leadership, clear vision and policies that support local production and human capital development.”
He also criticised the economic policies of the present administration, particularly the continued importation of food items that can be produced locally, describing such practices as inimical to national development.
“You cannot grow an economy by killing local production. Importing food that we can produce in Nigeria destroys jobs, weakens our farmers and drains our foreign exchange. A serious country must produce what it consumes”, he argued.
The event featured renewed calls from ADC supporters for sustained engagement and mobilisation, as Mr Obi reiterated his belief that Nigeria remains redeemable if led with honesty, competence and a commitment to shared national progress.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, expressed confidence in the emerging coalition, assuring Nigerians that the party would deliver good governance at all levels of administration if entrusted with power.
The gathering also witnessed the defection of several prominent politicians from different political parties across the South-East and beyond.
The motion endorsing the defection was moved by a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and seconded by former economic adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Osita Ogbu.
Goodwill messages from notable political figures, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, Chief Sam Egwu, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Achike Udenwa, Mr Onyema Ugochukwu and Senator Gilbert Nnaji among others, further underscored the growing momentum within the ADC.
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