The Peoples Democratic Party in the North-West has endorsed President Gooduck Jonathan for the 2015 Presidency.
At an expanded stakeholders' meeting at the late Gen. Hassan Katsina Hall, Kawo in Kaduna, the leadership and members of the party in the zone said Jonathan should "surrender himself for the continued service to the nation" in 2015.
But some key members of the PDP from the zone – the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; Governor Sule Lamido (Jigawa); his Katsina counterpart, Shehu Shema; and the Minister of Education , Ibrahim Shekarau were absent from the meeting.
No reason was given for their action. A source said the absence of Lamido might not be unconnected with his rumoured presidential ambition.
Shema is believed to be interested in unseating Vice President Namadi Sambo.
At the meeting however were the National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu'azu; the National Oganising Secretary, Abubabkar Mustapha; the zonal Chairman, Amb. Adamu Kazaure; the Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Mukhtar Shagari; and Maj-Gen. Mohammed Magaro (retd); among others.
Mu'azu, in his address, said the PDP which is as "constant as the northern star," remained a party to beat and urged members to be united so as to deliver the zone in 2015.
Kebbi State Governor Usman Dankingari also said his colleagues would ensure that the zone was delivered to the PDP in 2015.
"The zone which is the most sophisticated and populous and other parts of the North will be delivered to the party in 2015," he added.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali, who read a communique issued at the end of the meeting, said Jonathan had done a lot to deserve a second term from the people of the zone.
Wali,who said the PDP remained a party to beat under Jonathan, noted that Nigeria had recorded landmark achievements in all sectors under the Jonathan administration.
He said the zone would remain grateful to the President, especially in terms of infrastructural development, good governance and promotion of democracy in the country.
The communiqué read in part, " Having carefully considered the steady and stable progress of our nation under the able leadership of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the stakeholders of the PDP in the North-West, having in mind the monumental strides attained by this administration, have resolved to ask Dr. Jonathan to declare for the Presidency in the forthcoming 2015 elections so as to continue the good works he started. We ask for nothing less.
"Consequently, we respectfully call on the national chairman of our party to convey this resolution and unanimous declaration of the entire leadership and membership of the PDP in the North-West to His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to surrender himself for the continued service to the nation."
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