We have no preferred candidate – Jonathan, Atiku

Former President Goodluck Jonathan and ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, have insisted that they don’t have preferred candidates for the office of PDP national chairman, ahead of Saturday’s national convention.

‎The two party leaders in their separate statements, said all the candidates were qualified to conduct the affairs of the party for the next four years.

“As the father of the party, ex-President Jonathan has no preferred candidates for any of the positions and is prepared to work with all those that will emerge as members of the new NWC, to ensure that the party regains its pride of place in the affairs of the nation.

“The former President is therefore optimistic that the convention will produce a positive outcome that will help the PDP consolidate its position as the party with the best democratic ideals in the country.

“The former President is pleased with the dedication and enthusiasm of all party members towards building a strong PDP and wishes allparticipants successful deliberations, as they seek to freely elect members of the National Working Committee, that will lead the party for the next four years.

‎”Dr. Jonathan is impressed with the level of preparations for the convention, especially with the number of the candidates and the spread and vibrancy of the campaigns, which has established a new paradigm for intra-party elections, in the country,” Jonathan stated in a statement by his Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze‎.

On his part, Atiku in a statement by his Media Office, also made it clear that ‎he had no preferred candidate, but interested in having a stronger PDP.

“As our great political party sets forth to elect new set of national officers for the party Saturday (today) we must put the interest of the party first and I urge our delegates to vote for people they believe will better promote the interest of the party.

“I am an advocate of democracy and it is my belief that the best way to strengthen a political party is to promote the principle of internal democracy in the workings of the party.

“I believe that all of the aspirants for respective positions are eminently qualified and the task is before our delegates to pick people who will make PDP even a stronger party after the Convention.

“I do not have any preferred candidate, all I ask of our delegates and members of the organizing committee is that they should give us a national convention that is transparent, free and credible; one that will establish a standard for how intra-party elections are to be held in the country,” Atiku said.

Source: DPN.