BY Taiwo George
President Goodluck Jonathan believes that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would collapse like a pack of cards without the influence of some former members of the ruling party.
Speaking on Thursday during Kakaaki, a breakfast programme on African Independent Television (AIT), Jonathan said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stood better chances of winning the forthcoming general election.
“PDP is still the dominant party in this country,” he said.
“There’s no polling unit where you don’t have PDP members. If you remove the PDP elements in the opposition, it would just collapse like a pack of cards.
“I am not worried about the outcome of the election because PDP still has an edge over every other party, although globally, a sitting president wins with less votes than [he polled in] his first attempt.”
The president further said the report on the alleged plot to remove Attahiru Jega, chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) was meant to destabise the polity.
“I advise politicians not to discuss things based on unsubstantiated rumours,” he said.
“I don’t really know where the issue of INEC chairman removal is coming from. I saw people talk about it in the parliament and I felt very sad. I will advise fellow politicians, especially those of us who are holding very high offices, that we should not discuss things based on unsubstantiated rumours.
“It could be discussed in a motor park or beer parlour, even in the market; but when you talk about it in the parliament, then what ordinarily should have disappeared as ordinary rumour begins to have some credibility.
“I appointed INEC chairman and that is the exclusive responsibility of the president. It is not given to any other authority and I’ve not discussed with anybody on earth or even in my dream whether Jega would stay or go.”
Describing the idea of an interim government as treasonable, Jonathan appealed to politicians not play politics with bitterness.
“There are some Nigerians who are bent on creating crisis in this country. There is no reason to doubt May 29 handover date because this is a democracy that is controlled by law,” he said.
“There is no provision for interim government in our constitution. In the francophone systems where they have constitutional courts, the constitutional courts can redesign a government whenever there is a stalemate like it happened in Burkina Faso.
“So talking about interim government to me is treasonable. There’s no provision for interim government in our constitution. The only interim government is military government.
“I appeal to fellow politicians that we must first of all have a country before we can seek for any office, even if it is the office of a councillor.”
He urged Nigerians to participate in the election, saying: “If you refuse to vote and the wrong person comes into power, you and I will suffer for it.”
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