2015: Balewa’s Son Dares PDP, Jonathan …Insists There Must Be Primary

Son of Nigeria’s First Republic Prime Minister, Dr. Abdul Jhalil Tafawa Balewa, at the weekend declared that he would contest the 2015 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), even as the party has cancelled presidential primary to nominate its candidate for the election.
The entire PDP, its Board of Trustees (BoTs), governors and members of the National Assembly in the party had all separately endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term in office.
The President on Saturday also commended the party for giving him a right of refusal, saying this was how democracy is practised in the western world.
Balewa, who condemned what he called the plot by the leadership of the party to demoralise other presidential aspirants with the endorsement, said: “I’m not intimidated by the decision of the PDP governors and the party to support the second term aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
“What type of democracy do we have? Is the PDP a communist party? Where is the place of internal democracy?”
He said the greater majority of Nigerians had been yearning for a leadership capable of fulfilling their high expectations and aspirations.
A statement by Chairman of the Tafawa Balewa Campaign Organisation, Taiwo Alao, quoted Dr. Balewa as urging Nigerians to listen to facts.
“What Nigerians need and where they want the country to be in future are paramount issues. We need to put our ideas before the people and allow them to decide,” he said.
Promising to make Nigeria an industrialized country, Balewa said his administration would ensure zero unemployment, better education, maximum security and increased power supply, adding: “Nigeria needs to move from Third World to First World.”
He expressed hope that he would be supported in the race by well-meaning Nigerians.
Meanwhile, following the adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan as sole candidate for the coming presidential election, the PDP has said it will not hold the presidential primary slated for December 6.
With the development, the ruling party said it would only ratify Jonathan’s candidature on December 6.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, who disclosed this, said the party would during the convention, approve the resolution made by the NEC members.
The Tide recalls that the NEC had last Thursday announced the President as the sole candidate of the party for the election.
Metuh said, “There is a difference between convention and primary. What we are going to have on December 6 at the convention is to ratify the decision taken at NEC.
“There will be no primary again because we already have a candidate, and what we will do is that delegates will just ratify him”.
With this arrangement, only President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to pay the sum of N22million, which the party has fixed as nomination fee for its presidential aspirants.
He further stressed that governorship aspirants are to pay N11million while senatorial aspirants are to pay N4million, just as those seeking to contest for seats in the House of Representatives would pay N2 million while the state Houses of Assembly aspirants are to pay N1million.
However, the Peoples’ Democratic Party is to embark on a nationwide tour from next week.
This information was disclosed at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh.
Metuh said the tour would enable the party to showcase the PDP’s achievements in all the states since the return of democracy in 1999.
The PDP has been in control of the Federal Government since 1999.

Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi (right), exchanging pleasantries with the Rector, Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori, Sir Obianko Nwolu-Elechi, during the 18th – 20thConvocation ceremony of the institution last Saturday. Photo: Nwivueh Donatus Ken