Despite losing the 2015 elections, former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan has boasted that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, remains Nigeria’s strongest and biggest party and will win the next general election.
Mr. Jonathan said this on Monday in Abuja when he received a report from the Strategy Review and Inter-Party Affairs Committee of the PDP, headed by Prof. Jerry Gana.
He said current efforts at reforming the party are “a clear sign” the PDP will win in 2019.
“Yes we lost the presidential election but that doesn’t diminish us. Every other party still knows that PDP is a leading party,” said Mr. Jonathan who received the team in his House in Abuja.
“Losing the presidency is something temporary. We should be able to get that position back as long as we are able to get our acts together. I am happy that you people are working towards that,” he said.
The former Nigerian president also observed that the best way to stop imposition of candidates is through direct primaries. In a presidential system of government, it is the ultimate and best way of selecting candidates for elections, he opined.
But was quick to add that the greatest problem was how to manage the direct primaries, saying a party like the PDP, with membership across all polling units, it meant that voting would take place at wards or local government levels.
Mr. Jonathan also talked about building strong institutions, which he said is key in the development of a nation. For a nation to grow, its institutions must be very strong, he said.
“There is no way a nation will grow with weak institutions, because everything about politics is about the people, not about the individuals.
“As long you are interested in the people, you are interested in the growth of the society and the development of the nation.
“The only thing that will make this possible is that the institutions must be strong.
“You see as powerful as America, look at President Donald Trump’s decision and the court said ‘no you can’t do this’ and of course, they have to shoot down the decision to move forward.
“That is the strength of an institution. That is the only way individuals could be regulated so that you can grow.”
Presenting the report earlier, Chairman of the committee, Prof. Gana, said they had submitted the report to the party leadership last Tuesday and were directed to submit a copy to the former president.
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