•     No challenger to President, says Muazu

Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Chuks Okocha in Abuja

In a tactical move to showcase the unity between them, Vice President Namadi Sambo friday in Abuja on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan submitted the President’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to contest for the Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential ticket at its National Convention slated for December 10.

On the same day, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal accepted the challenge to put himself forward to vie for the presidential ticket of the opposition All Progressives Congress.

Also yesterday, the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu reiterated that Jonathan remained the sole candidate of the party, despite the fact that AbdulJelili Tafawa Balewa, the son of the former Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa collected the presidential nomination form; the party also called on Prof. Duke Abiola to come and pick her presidential nomination form.

Jonathan had personally on October 30 collected the Presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms and on November 11 publicly declared his interest to seek a second term in office.

Leading a powerful delegation of stakeholders, Sambo submitted Jonathan’s forms to Muazu who in turn re-submitted it to the National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha.

Sambo thanked all the stakeholders that joined him in submitting the forms on behalf of the President.
The dignitaries that followed the Vice President to submit the forms include the Secretary to the Government of Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; the President of the Senate, David Mark; the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; the Chairman of PDP Governor’s Forum, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State; Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake, Dickson; former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani, former governor of old Anambra State, Jim Nwobodo, former governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Sam Egwu and former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim.

Sambo who eulogised the President, described him as “Our dear President, our transformational President who has touched many lives and moved our country forward.”

The PDP National Chairman in his response, expressed happiness that the party at its caucus meeting, agreed to unanimously endorse Jonathan as its sole presidential candidate for 2015 presidential election.

Accordingly, he said: “This is a very big sign of confidence by the party members and it has arisen because of your total commitment in the development of our country. And that's a result of your hard work. I therefore thank you and congratulate you. I wish you God's guidance and protection in this journey that we have all started. We pray that God almighty grant you and other members of our team, governors, senators and members of the House of Representatives and state Houses of Assemblies great success in the coming election. May the almighty God in his infinite mercy continue to bless, help and guide us all.”
The deadline for the submission of all nomination forms ended by 12 midnight friday.

Tambuwal Accepts Challenge to Contest for APC’s Presidential Ticket…
The Speaker of the House of House of Representatives yesterday said he had accepted the challenge to put himself forward to vie for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress.
While accepting the presidential nomination form from the APC legislators who came to his house in Abuja, Tambuwal said he was humbled by the sheer support and solidarity.

He said he was moved by the show of love, commitment to the course of the oneness of Nigeria and the progress of Nigeria ably demonstrated by his friends across the divide of the country.

"Having heard what you have said, I have accepted to collect this nomination form and go and conclude my consultations and come back to Nigerians soonest on what should be my final position on this matter," he said.

Addressing the lawmakers, Tambuwal described the current scenario as akin to what happened when his colleagues spontaneously decided to elect him as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, shortly after the 2011 elections.

"I am humbled by this gesture. I must say that this is almost akin to what happened in 2011 after our general election when I left my Federal Constituency of Kebbe/Tambuwal to Abuja and my colleagues in the House of Representatives and several Nigerians, in consideration for the need for us to have a stable, focused and progressive House of Representative decided that I should come and serve as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

"To God be the glory and with every sense of responsibility, we have done fairly well. Therefore, I will thank my 359 colleagues in the House of Representatives that have showcased me and given me the support to get to where I am today for me to be considered by these very well meaning Nigerians to contest and vie for the most covered office in the federation.

Earlier, while presenting the nomination form to Tambuwal, one of the lawmakers, Peter Ede from Ebonyi State, said they came on behalf  of millions of Nigerians to show support to the course of Tambuwal presidency.

He described Tambuwal as a unifier and somebody who can energise Nigerians to fight for the country we all desire.
"We are here on behalf of millions of Nigerians to visit Tambuwal. We are asking Tambuwal to be our President. We have purchased his nomination form for him and we are here to present it to him. The reason we are here is because we are of the firm believe that these are uncommon times in Nigeria because the country is facing enormous challenges and having examined everything that is happening in the country today.

Ede said the people behind the project are from a broad based coalition, comprising Coalition of Professionals, legislators, politicians and people from all shades of life.

“It is pan-Nigerian project and not a project driven by any segment of the polity. It is a project supported by students, youths, market women, the old, the young, by experienced politicians and people who have the interest of Nigeria at heart. The clerics, regardless of their religious persuasion are also behind this project. Those who have Nigeria at heart are buying into this project and we believe that if it becomes successful, Nigeria would have escaped the problems of the last decade.

"He is somebody who has travelled throughout the breadth of this country. We are aware that he has visited 340 out of the 360 constituencies in this country. So, he has firsthand knowledge of the people's problems because he has seen them first hand and knows their culture. He has seen and respected their religious belief. He is also somebody who related to everybody with humility and firmness. Nigeria needs a man of such qualities. Nigeria needs a man who can speak truth to power.

"He is a man who can say a thing and stand by it. Nigeria needs a man who will be accountable to you and all of us. We have found in him, these uncommon qualities and we believe that he has the modern world view that will see us do things differently and confront our problems with new approaches. What we need now is a paradigm shift.”


Source: ThisDay