No automatic tickets for Jonathan, govs in 2015 – PDP

PDP National Chairman, Dr Bamanga Tukur

Peoples Democratic Party on Monday said there would be no automatic ticket for President Goodluck Jonathan if he decides to seek a second term in 2015.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in an interview with reporters in Abuja, added that governors seeking another term would also not be giving automatic tickets.

The President and the governors, Metuh said, would go through the primaries as stipulated in the party’s constitution.

Metuh said, “I can tell you that as at today under the constitution of our party and the way we run our programmes, we are going to have primaries in 2015.

“We are completely unaware of any move to change the constitution of the party. The constitution that we have, which we just amended at the last convention, provides that we must have local government and state congresses and national convention. That is the constitution we have as at today.

“I ask you, is there any automatic ticket in the 2012 constitution of the party? The answer is no.”

On whether the amendment of the party’s constitution can take place before 2015, he said it was possible.

According to him, if members of the party seek an amendment of the party’s constitution; its leadership will listen to their demand.

He added, “Of course, it is possible. Constitution amendment can take place at any time if the members want it.

“The Constitution of Nigeria is being amended and if that is being done, the constitution of the party can also be amended if the people decide to.”

He also spoke on the party’s National Executive Committee meeting, noting that those seeking convocation of the assembly would still have to wait.

 Metuh added, “The Chairman of the Board of Trustees must be elected before we can call for NEC meeting.

“Then after the emergence of the BoT Chairman, the party would have a national caucus meeting before we call for NEC meeting.

“We are not afraid of any meeting. In fact, we will have the meeting. There will be no problem. The problem is over and the President has intervened and there is now peace in the party.”

When reminded that the BoT Chairman had no role to play in the NEC meeting, he agreed, but added that the party’s must follow its convention.

Metuh said, “In our constitution and convention, before we have NEC meeting, we usually have the Board of Trustees meeting, and we have a national caucus meeting before NEC meeting.

“Before the last NEC meeting (in July 2012), we did not have vacancy in the office of the Chairman of BoT.”