Hot Source*Says ex-president will contest 2027 poll in PDP
*Niger PDP elects new officials
Laleye Dipo in Minna
Former Minister of Information and chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Professor Jerry Gana, said at the weekend that having seen the disparity in their lives after eight years of former President Muhammadu Buhari and two years under incumbent President Bola Tinubu, Nigerians, who had fallen for deceits by some politicians in 2015, when ex-President Goodluck Jonathan lost his re-election bid, now knew better and want his return.
Gana spoke on Saturday in Minna after the election of new officials by the Niger State chapter of PDP.
He confirmed that Jonathan would contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of PDP.
The former minister stated, “In 2015, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said his ambition is not worth the blood of Nigerians. After him another president ruled for eight years and now another has ruled for two years.
“Nigerians have seen the difference and the difference is very clear. Nigerians are now asking us to bring back our friend, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
“I can confirm that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will contest the presidential election in 2027 as PDP candidate and you will vote for him to return as President again.”
The PDP chieftain declared that the party was democratic, stressing that democracy deals with the will of the people to freely choose who they want.
He said, “PDP has tremendous opportunity in 2027 because it is truly a grassroots party.
“The people of Nigeria love the PDP because it came with programmes that are people-oriented. That is why they remember PDP immensely, and they are urging us to come back.”
He dismissed insinuations about crisis in PDP, explaining, “When there was a near crisis in the party, the founding fathers convened a consultative conference in Abuja and addressed all the issues at the time.”
Gana criticised the federal government for discouraging foreign investors from coming to Nigeria.
He stated, “This government, they have a number of evil gatekeepers, keeping away foreign investors. That’s their major problem. Nigeria is the best place to grow your money.”
A new executive emerged from the PDP state congress held on Saturday, with Alhaji Aliyu Halidu elected as the new state chairman of the party.
Halidu polled 1,289 votes to defeat his closest rival and PDP zonal chairman, Alhaji Yahaya Abdullahi (Ability), who secured 1,269 votes.
Abdullahi had been favoured to succeed Mr Tanko Beji as chairman.
Announcing the results, Chairman of the PDP Electoral Committee, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, announced that eight positions were contested while candidates for the other positions were returned unopposed.
Turaki declared Alhaji Khadi Kuta, a former commissioner in the state, as Secretary of the party, and said he was returned unopposed, while Mrs. Salome Ndakosu won the women leader position with 1,373 votes, to defeat Ramotu Jibrin, who got 590 votes.
In his acceptance speech, Halidu sought the support of PDP members to make the party great again.
He said, “PDP is strong in population at the grassroots.
“PDP is ready to dislodge the ruling party in 2027. I, therefore, implore members to join hands in ensuring the return of people oriented government in 2027.”
