A
top politician in Plateau State and a founding member of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Yahaya Kwande has advised the
national leadership of the party to come out courageously to disqualify
President Goodluck Jonathan from presenting himself as an aspirant of
the party in the 2011 presidential election.
Reacting
to a statement by INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega that the
Commission would not accept candidates that violate their parties’
constitutions, the former Ambassador to Switzerland said the PDP
leadership and Jonathan should take the path of honour over the zoning
issue.
According
to Kwande, Jonathan’s ambition breaches Section 7 of the PDP amended
constitution, which unequivocally provides for zoning of elective
offices including the presidency.
He
said that Justice Lawal Gummi’s ruling on zoning that“The provision of
Article 7.2 (C) of the 1st Defendant’s Constitution 2009 as amended
recognises the principle of zoning and rotation of party and public
elective offices. The said article is subsisting and binding on the
party, its organs and member…” should be a wakeup call for the President
and the ruling party to do the
honourable.
honourable.
“The
PDP cannot eat its cake and have it. The party needs to summon an
urgent meeting to take on a decision to either remove zoning from the
party’s constitution or direct Jonathan to exit from the race to save
the party and indeed Nigeria from further polarization,” he said.
