President Goodluck Jonathan has appealed to all aggrieved aspirants on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to jump ship, pledging that the party leadership was working hard to resolve the conflicts arising from the primaries for various elective positions conducted across the country recently.
This is as individuals and groups donated a total sum of N21.27 billion to support his campaign ahead of the 2015 elections.
Jonathan made the plea at the PDP Fund Raising Dinner held at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja Saturday night.
The outcome of the party’s state primaries has resulted in many aspirants threatening to or have abandoned the party and join the opposition over what alleged imposition of candidates either by state governors or the national headquarters.
Among those who have left to join the opposition All Progressives Congress is Jonathan’s former Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, Samuel Ortom, after he failed to clinch the party’s governorship ticket in Benue State.
Jonathan noted, however, that it was better for aggrieved aspirants to remain and correct whatever they felt was wrong in the party than abandon ship in the middle of no where.
While noting that though not all the cases might be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction, he assured that efforts were ongoing to resolve the post-primaries crisis in some states as the outcome would guide the party when preparing for the primaries of the 2019 elections.
He said, “We all appreciate that throughout the congresses where primary elections were conducted, there have been some outstanding issues.
“The party is working to resolve these issues. Definitely, in such situation, all may not be resolved to the satisfaction of everybody.
“But my plea to party members is to remain committed to the party; stay with the party.
“I know other parties are wooing some of you to contest elections on their platforms, but if you believe in democracy then you will contribute to strengthening it.
“The only way you can strengthen democracy is for you to stay in your party.
“If there are some issues you feel are not too correct, it behoves on us to stay together and correct them. That is the only way we can grow democracy.
“If out of anger or frustration, you leave the party because you didn’t get what you wanted, then you are not contributing to the growth of democracy.”
Jonathan said the major task before the ruling party was to ensure that the country remain united.
While thanking those who donated the over N21billion realised at the dinner, he said the money was needed to build a formidable party.
He observed that if parties were tied around individuals, there would be dictatorial tendencies in such parties.
The President said the PDP must complete work on its new national headquarters next year because the project had dragged for too long.
He promised that the money realised would be judiciously utilised like his administration had done with the different funds raised earlier.
He boosted that his administration has been business-friendly one, promising more policies that would promote enterprise and industry in the country.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the occasion, Chief Tunde Ayeni, set the ball rolling when he announced a donation of N2billion.
He said the sum consisted of N1billion donated by him and his partner and another N1billion contributed by their unnamed friends.
Oil and Gas players announced a donation of N5billion; those in Real Estate and Building donated N4billion; Transport and Aviation- N1billion; Food and Agriculture- N500million; Power-N500 million; Construction -N310million; Road Construction-N250million and Shelter Development Limited-N250million.
