term bid, President Goodluck Jonathan and his ruling Peoples
Democratic Party have concluded plans to hold a rally on October 19 in
Abuja. Tagged a five million-man march, the event is intended as a
showcase for the achievements of the president's transformation
agenda.
The rally will be followed by a two million-man march in each of the
six geopolitical zones of the country and three million-man marches in
selected cities.
THISDAY learnt that the rallies, which are, allegedly, being
coordinated by one Chief Obi Aguocha, a Presidency official, would
herald Jonathan's formal declaration of his intention to seek a second
term.
The 20 million-man march tagged, "National Solidarity March," is being
packaged by the Presidency and PDP to showcase the major achievements
of the president since February 9, 2010, when he first assumed the
presidential seat as Acting President via the Doctrine of Necessity
approved by the National Assembly. Jonathan became substantive
president on May 6, 2010 and he was subsequently sworn in as elected
president on May 29, 2011 after winning the 2011 presidential
election.
According to a source in the Presidency, the purpose of the rallies
is, "First, to kick start his campaigns, where he will tell Nigerians
of his decision to contest for a second term in office at the 2015
presidential election.
"The national solidarity march is to showcase the achievements of
thepresident, especially the transformation agenda, and use the march
as a deliberate policy to activate his support base at the grassroots.
"It is expected that the successful national solidarity marches in
Abuja, the six geopolitical zones, and selected commercial cities will
make it easier for President Jonathan to come out gracefully to
announce his second term ambition.
"Also, the national solidarity march is aimed to demonstrate the unity
within the PDP as a political party and to state categorically that
the PDP is solidly behind the administration of President Jonathan,
and above all, to showcase the PDP as one united family in line with
the motto and slogan of the million-man march, which is 'one party,
one family.'"
The source said all stakeholders in the Presidency and PDP were
expected to participate in the national solidarity marches, stressing,
"All PDP governors, ministers, principal officers of the national and
state assemblies of the PDP-controlled states, and members of the
national and state assemblies and all elected officials of the party
at the local government levels are expected to participate.
"The national solidarity march would have taken place before the
October 19 date, but it was moved forward to enable the reconciliation
of the aggrieved governors and other members to take place.
The date slated for the final reconciliation is October 7 and
thereafter, if nothing meaningful was reached, then everybody will go
his way.
"By October 7, it is expected that the PDP would have been one united
family, hence the national solidarity march is for peace and one
indivisible united Nigeria."
The banners and advertorials for the event, which are expected to
start running from Monday in some newspapers, bear captions such as:
"The National Solidarity Match: In Solidarity for Peace, Unity and
Indivisibility of Nigeria. In solidarity for oneness of PDP. In
recognition of the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan."
Jonathan's second term ambition is at the core of the current
divisions within the ruling party. He had said he would only announce
by next year whether or not he would contest the 2015 presidential
election. But his political ambition that is supposed to be secret is
in actual fact widely known, as antecedent events and his body
language continue to betray his excitement at the idea of seeking
another term.
Jonathan's declaration for the 2011 presidential election had also
been masked in a vague proposal. It had remained an open secret that
he would contest the poll until September 15, 2010, when he officially
declared his intention to run for the office of the President in the
2011 election via his Facebook page.
That seeming haste was seen as an attempt to prevent former military
president Ibrahim Babangida, who was also due to declare his
presidential ambition, from stealing the limelight.
Now, amid objections in some quarters to his participation in the 2015
presidential election, Jonathan has consistently said he has the right
to contest, without saying whether or not he would run.
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