Olusola Fabiyi , Abuja
Despite losing the last general elections , former President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday declared that the Peoples Democratic Party remains the biggest and the strongest party in Nigeria .
The former President said that the PDP would bounce back in 2019 .
He said that the outcome of the last general elections , which the party lost to the All Progressives Congress , was a minor setback which he said did not diminish the party .
Jonathan spoke when he received a delegation of the PDP Strategy Review and Inter - party Committee, which visited him at his private residence in Abuja.
The ex - President advocated for the strengthening of institutions in the country, while responding to a complaint over the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission under this administration by his visitors .
Jonathan said , “ I am among the persons who believe that for a nation to grow , the institutions must be very strong , just like you mentioned about INEC . There is no way a nation will grow with weak institutions because everything about politics is about the people, not about the individuals .
“ And as long you are interested in the people, you are interested in the growth of the society , the development of the nation , the only thing that will make the impossible possible is that the institutions must be strong .
“ You see, as powerful as America is, look at President Donald Trump ’ s decision and the court say no , you can ’ t do this and of course they have to shoot it down to move forward . That is the strength of an institution . That is the only way individuals could be regulated so that you can grow . ”
On the fate of his party ahead of the 2019 elections , he said . “ The PDP is still the biggest and the strongest party . Irrespective of what happened in the 2015 general elections . Yes , we lost the presidential election but that doesn ’ t diminish us . Every other party still knows that the PDP is a leading party .
“ Losing the Presidency is something temporary . We should be able to get that position back as long as we are able to get our act together . I am happy that you people are working towards that . ”
The former president , however , advocated the use of statutory delegates for the party ’ s primaries to check imposition of candidates .
He also endorsed the alliance talks between the PDP and other political parties .
The Strategy Committee, headed by a former Minister of Information , Prof . Jerry Gana, also presented its report to two former founding members of the party .
They are a former National Chairman of the party , Alhaji Bamanga Tukur , and a former Chairman of the party ’ s Board of Trustees , Chief Tony Anenih .
In his remarks, Tukur lambasted those defecting from the PDP on the perceived promise of a better future , likening them to those running to Europe for a better future that he said was unpredictable.
He expressed happiness that the PDP was rebranding and trying to return power to the people , adding that there was no place in the country “ where you do not find a member of our party . ”
Anenih , on his part , blamed selfishness among some party leaders for the state of the PDP today . He said the party could have gone beyond its present status but for the selfishness of some party leaders .
He , however , charged the party leadership to engage in constructive criticism .
Gana, while addressing the elder statesmen, at the separate visits, alleged that INEC had become a tool in the hands of the APC.
Source-punch
