TheCable

Femi Fani-Kayode, director of media and publicity for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign organisation, says President Goodluck Jonathan would have “lost the presidential election by at least 10 million votes” but for the intervention of his campaign team.

Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won by more than 2 million votes, polling a total of 15,424,921 votes to consign Jonathan, with 12,853,162 votes, to second place.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, he debunked claims that hate campaign by some members of the campaign organisation was responsible for the president’s loss.

He not only denied the accusation by the party’s national working committee (NWC), he described some NWC members as “enemy within us”, alleging that two members of the committee were working for the opposition.

He described most members of the NWC as ignorant of party campaigns, adding that the campaign organisation “stood up for the party, fought for the president and did not betray the cause”.

While calling for the resignation of the NWC, he defended the campaign organisation’s media strategy.

He also exonerated Patience Jonathan and Ayo Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, of any blame in the loss of the party.

He contended that while Jonathan was constantly under serious hostile pressure during the campaigns, the first lady encouraged the organisation and inspired its members more than anyone else.

“I do not want to rock the boat out of respect for our president and our party elders, otherwise I would say a lot more that will shock the nation and the party faithful”, Fani-Kayode said.

“I have a whole file on it, which we compiled during the campaign. Two members of the NWC specifically were actually working for the APC and were on their payroll.”

Their job, he added, was to destroy PDP’s fortunes, expose its secrets, create discord in its ranks and undermine the efforts of the campaign organisation in the media campaign.

“That is just one shocker and there are plenty more. The time to talk is not now. That time will come,” he said.

“You will be shocked by what we know about these people and their sordid efforts to stop Jonathan and betray their own party.

“The truth is that the NWC has to go and I add my voice to that of Governors Aliyu Babaginda, Sule Lamido, Ayodele Fayose and that of so many other people.”

He also spoke on the need for a change at the top if the PDP is serious about uniting its members, saying: “This is critical to restoring its fortunes, redeeming it and winning the election in 2019.”

Describing the APC media machine as “awesome”, he maintained that for the first time since the establishment of APC, they were put on the defensive by the PDP presidential campaign organisation.

He added that PDP “must remain free of acrimony, united and focused” while ensuring to “throw out the bad eggs in the NWC”.

“In order to survive over the next four years as a party, we must make the necessary changes at the top, otherwise we will be utterly decimated,” he said.

“The present leadership of the party, particularly its information organ, has no chance of standing against an APC federal government because they are weak and lack understanding and courage.

“They will be savaged beyond belief and torn apart if they try it because they do not have the stomach, the grit, the appetite or the wherewithal for a long-drawn-out fight.”