Jonathan, Mark Blast Maku Over Defection …President Rules Out Sambo As Successor

President Goodluck Jonathan; Senate President, David Mark; and a former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmadu Ali, yesterday expressed anger at the way the former Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, dumped the PDP for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) without exhausting all avenues for dialogue within the party.
While Jonathan described Maku’s action as anti-party, Mark said the former minister was a liar while Ali described him as an ingrate. They spoke at the Lafia Township Stadium during the PDP presidential rally, yesterday.
The President said he could not be involved in anti-party activities, adding that he did not at any time have any discussion or encourage Maku to join another party.
Mark on his part said Maku has to apologise and retrace his steps, before he could be accepted back to the party.
The Senate president said the North Central was solidly behind Jonathan, and will vote for him because he has brought democracy dividends to bear on the region.
Ali also described Maku as an ingrate, saying that despite using the platform of the party to rise to stardom, he jumped the ship because of greed.
He said the president had never asked anybody to join any party to canvass for him, ýsaying Maku’s intention is to smear the image of Jonathan and portray him as a religious bigot.
He accused Maku of dropping the name of the president in his bid to realise his ambition, which he insisted, will never happen because he lacks the required integrity.
However, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday tacitly ruled out having Vice President Namadi Sambo as his successor, saying the next Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president must be below 60 years of age.
Addressing a large crowd at the Lafia Township stadium during his presidential campaign tour to Nasarawa State, Mr. Jonathan said his administration believes in the youth and will do everything possible to support the younger generation.
“Obasanjo was president at 70, Yar’Adua at 60 and me close to 60 so the next president must be younger than me,”  Jonathan said.
Vice president Namadi Sambo is already 60 years old. If Mr. Jonathan wins re-election on February 14 and leaves office in 2019, his remarks means he would not support Mr. Sambo to succeed him as the vice president would have turned 64.
Jonathan said the PDP administration will invest in the younger generation and ensure that a space is made available for them in the future.
He explained that his administration has taken keen interest in educational development which is a yardstick for developing the younger generation.
He laid emphasis on youth empowerment which he said will be cardinal principle of his government if re-elected.
President Jonathan said the Doma Dam in Doma Local Government Area of the state will be completed to pave way for agricultural development that will create development for the youth.
He added that the PDP administration will work to integrate Nasarawa within the Federal Capital Territory in the next 25 years.
Earlier, the National chairman of the PDP, Ahmadu Muazu, reiterated the party’s concern for the next generation and promised that the party will continue with policies that will develop the youth.