2015: Jonathan’s imposition robbed PDP of victory – Bello, BoT Chair

From TAIWO AMODU, Abuja

BARELY a year after he moved a motion for the adoption of former Presi­dent Goodluck Jonathan as the Peoples Democrat­ic Party (PDP) sole can­didate for the 2015 elec­tion, the Acting Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Dr. Haliru Bello, has said Jonathan’s emer­gence in 2011 was the beginning of the party’s downfall.

The motion was moved at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meet­ing held on September 17, 2014 and seconded by former Anambra State Governor, Chief Jim Nwobodo.

Bello disclosed this yesterday in a statement signed by his media aide, Emeka Nwakpa in Abuja.

Bello said that Jona­than’s emergence as the party standard bearer in 2011 was a clear breach of its zoning principle and was responsible for the rapid decline in the fortunes of the party.

The former acting na­tional chairman noted that breaching the zon­ing policy and Jonathan’s imposition this year con­tributed to PDP’s dismal performance in the 2015 general elections.

Bello said:”When the founding fathers formed the party in 1998, they es­tablished the principle of justice and equity where­by power resided with the people, who could decide who became what at any point in time. But over­time, the party breached the principle, thereby disrupting its internal de­mocracy.

“When in 2011, the party abandoned its zon­ing formula, the party dealt itself a major blow because that action served the first notice that it had disconnected with the masses.

“ So, we must go back to the culture of zoning and rotation of offices.

“The PDP remains the only true national party in the country with its flag in all nooks and cran­nies whose members are assured that they can al­ways aspire to any avail­able position as long as zoning and rotation hold sway as a cardinal policy of the party.”

He admonished the party leadership to ensure that internal democracy was restored to the PDP and retrieve it from the hands of those he called money bags.

“We must run away from a practice that leaves the party at the mercy of moneybags who, more often than not, seek to hijack the pro­cesses of the party at the detriment of promoting genuine internal democ­racy through which only capable, credible and popular candidates can emerge to contest elec­tions with assurance of victory.

“The policies and man­ifesto of the party should also guide the activities of public office holders who are either elected or appointed on the plat­form of the party in line with good governance and best practices.”

“In the recent years, many of our leaders, el­ders and founding fathers have been abandoned in spite of their abiding in­terest in the party. Some have left, some chose to remain but are either inactive, unconcerned or indifferent because nobody has bothered to look for them. This is not acceptable. If there is any time we need them for advice and counsel, it is now.”