Former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has appealed to the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South East zone to support the party’s presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in his choice of Mr. Peter Obi as his running mate, to ensure victory for PDP in next year’s general elections.

The former President’s appeal followed a statement issued on Saturday by leaders of the party in the zone stating that they were not properly consulted before Obi’s nomination was made public.

In a statement addressed to party members which he personally signed, the former President counseled against insisting on obtaining a zonal endorsement for a vice presidential nomination, adding that it is the prerogative of the Presidential candidate to select the candidate he believes will help him to achieve his vision and goals for the nation.

A statement issued by Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, the former President’s spokesman quoted Dr. Jonathan thus: “I therefore want to directly appeal to my brothers and sisters from the South East zone who are members of our party to reconsider their position and allow the presidential candidate of the PDP to select a candidate he thinks he can work with to be able to achieve the party’s development goals.

Since Atiku has already nominated Mr. Peter Obi as his running mate, I am pleading with my party members from the zone to accept his choice.”

Below is the full statement issued by Dr. Jonathan:
“I thank members of our great party for the successful conduct of the primaries for the various elective positions ahead of the 2019 general elections. By holding transparent, peaceful and rancor-free convention and primaries across the country, our party has once more, taken the nation’s democratic exercise a notch higher, in line with our well-established tradition of deepening the growth of democracy in our nation.

“I again congratulate all our candidates for various positions, including Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who was overwhelmingly elected by our delegates as the flag bearer of our party in the 2019 presidential election. The popularity and positive reviews of the exercise across the country is a clear demonstration of national endorsement for the choices we made, going into the 2019 elections.

“The task before us is to build on this firm foundation and momentum by pulling in one direction and working assiduously for the victory of these candidates at the polls.

It is against this backdrop that I appeal for calm and understanding in the South East where my attention has been drawn to the fact that some leaders of our party are openly expressing their discomfort with the reported nomination of former Governor of Anambra State Peter Obi as Atiku’s running mate. I am told that some of our leaders in the zone have raised issues with the process of consultation that produced the Vice Presidential candidate.

“I affirm that consultation is a key ingredient in every political process. Nonetheless, in the selection of a vice presidential candidate, a presidential candidate is allowed reasonable freedom to select his running mate based on loyalty, trust, experience, temperament and capacity to perform the responsibilities of the office. Anything other than this could create tension and acrimony between the presidential candidate and his running mate, even before
the inauguration of the government.

My plea is for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to be given a free hand to choose who he wants to work with as his Vice President without putting him through undue pressure. In this regard, only minimal consultation is required which doesn’t necessarily have to involve full regional review and approval.

“We have to be careful not to give the impression that the process of selecting a Vice Presidential candidate cannot progress until a regional stamp of approval is formally procured. The system we are used to right from the First Republic is one that places the choice of a running mate at the behest of the candidate, based on his own convictions on capacity and compatibility.

“From my political history beginning from Deputy Governor to President, I can say that this is the tradition and standard practice in countries where either the President and his Vice or Governor and his Deputy contest election on a common slate. In such instance, once a candidate emerges, he or she is given a free hand to select the person who understands his vision and plans for the country, as his running mate.

I therefore want to directly appeal to my brothers and sisters from the South East zone who are members of our party to reconsider their position and allow the presidential candidate of our party to select a candidate he thinks he can work with to be able to achieve the party’s development goals. Since Atiku has nominated Mr. Peter Obi as his running mate, I am pleading with my party members from the zone to accept his choice.”

https://puoreports.com/2018/10/14/accept-atikus-choice-of-running-mate-goodluck-begs-south-east-leaders/

cc lalasticlala mynd44


even jonathan knows a house divided against itself will fall.....let they be a truce

ok

They shouldn't beg anybody in Igboland, Atiku should focus on NW and SW
the rest are workover

See the way they are supporting PDP with all their muscles. When Buhari wins, they will start start demanding for SGF slot and Chief of Army staff position.

Those leaders wont dictate a man ambition, most especially when such a man has worked extremely hard to set an unblemish record..

Esseite:
Hmmm

You don buy market .
A toss to the beginning of our by fire by force friendship

But why is it that our foolish Igbo leaders are always against interest of Ndi Igbo

benuejosh:
Igbos are never United. Yet they cry fowl at all times. Haba! Imagine a Man from South South (outsider) coming to intervene in their Eastern (Family) Matter.

Is your own tribe ever united? Get out of here

BIAFRONIGERIAN:
They shouldn't beg anybody in Igboland, Atiku should focus on NW and SW
the rest are workover

I concurr

garux:
The igbos as usual putting all their eggs in one basket. Hope we wont hear marginalisation and clamour for biafra after atikuchukwu lose next year election.

so they should divide their votes and give part to a lifeless ethnic jingoistic president You are not alright

confused tribe

Na lie jona! It's either Ifeayin Uba or no one else

benuejosh:
I was never born to make you happy. Live with that. Igbos are the most disunited people in Nigeria.

While your own faceless and nameless tribe is the most useless tribe in Nigeria. Deal with it.

Always talking as if their is a tribe devoid of fights and disagreements. You need sense, plenty of it.

Pekele007:

While your own faceless and nameless tribe the most useless tribe in Nigeria. deal with it

I am happy and comfortable with it. The truth is always painful abi? You people should stop dragging Peter Obi like generator's rope. Imagine it's even their Elites o. That can never happen even in the supposed Useless tribe you think is in Nigeria. Go fix your house. hahaha..

benuejosh:
I am happy and comfortable with it. The truth is always painful abi? You people should stop dragging Peter Obi like generator's rope. Imagine it's even their Elites o. That can never happen even in the supposed Useless tribe you think is in Nigeria. Go fix your house. hahaha..

Have you fixed your own family problems? Why don't you begin your charity at home

There is bound to be disagreements and conflicts as long as 2 humans are involved. You can keep fooling yourself tho.

benuejosh:
Mention one of my family problems that needs to be fixed otherwise i am not aware of any. But, i told you one of yours. You guys are not united.

Make a research and try fix your village problems let me fix mine.


You have spiritual problem, meet a babalawo asap.

How come peter Obi is generating all this noise, the post of VP is usually redundant, osibanjo only acted because buhari was sick.
Anyways, as we make our bed in Nigeria so we will lye on it be you Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa.

The problem of igbos is greed.
What Atiku did was the best option.

its laughable when people who don't live in Igbo land talk as if they know us even fellow Igbos too
For those who don't know Igbo's hate buhari and his party APC and no matter any Igbo man or even a yoruba that PDP presents Igbo's will still vote for them.If anambra people can reject a populist like Ngige cos of his party that will show you the loath we have for Buhari
this issue of obi acceptance or not will later die and whether they continue with him or not south east and south south is PDP including Imo once the election is free and fair
Buhari shot himself in the foot when he allowed okorocha to have his way in installing his man as APC candidate thereby alienating other members who are now jumping to PDP

Begs? They can all go to hell with their selfish ambitions! See gluttonous pot bellied unellectable fools that can't pay their workers are forming gladiators, who they help?

These guys are just flogging a dead horse.
Short of rigging the election, there is no way these guys can sway the minds of the igbos whose votes count.
The land, not the leaders, have made their choice

Igbos should retire all their governors and senators! They are rogues, uselesss and worthless!

he should stop begging them abegi!!! as if they achieved something great during their tenure.