Jonathan asks South-east PDP leaders to accept Peter Obi as Atiku’s running mate

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has pleaded with
south-east leaders to accept the decision of Atiku Abubakar to
choose Peter Obi as his running mate for the 2019
election.

The VP pick of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential
candidate has elicited a protest from south-east leaders who say
they were not consulted.

PDP governors and leaders of the region met on Saturday,
reaching a resolution to meet with Atiku over the matter.

Reacting to the development on Sunday, Jonathan said a
presidential candidate has a right to pick a running mate of
his/her choice.

He said Atiku’s decision does not require “regional review and
approval”.

A statement signed by Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan’s media aide,
read: “The task before us is to build on this firm foundation and
momentum by pulling in one direction and working assiduously for
the victory of these candidates at the polls.

“It is against this backdrop that I appeal for calm and
understanding in the South East where my attention has been drawn
to the fact that some leaders of our party are openly expressing
their discomfort with the reported nomination of former Governor of
Anambra State Peter Obi as Atiku’s running mate. I am told that
some of our leaders in the zone have raised issues with the process
of consultation that produced the Vice Presidential candidate.

“I affirm that consultation is a key ingredient in every
political process. Nonetheless, in the selection of a vice
presidential candidate, a presidential candidate is allowed
reasonable freedom to select his running mate based on loyalty,
trust, experience, temperament and capacity to perform the
responsibilities of the office. Anything other than this could
create tension and acrimony between the presidential candidate and
his running mate, even before the inauguration of the
government.

“My plea is for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to be given a free hand to
choose who he wants to work with as his Vice President without
putting him through undue pressure. In this regard, only minimal
consultation is required which doesn’t necessarily have to involve
full regional review and approval.

“We have to be careful not to give the impression that the
process of selecting a Vice Presidential candidate cannot progress
until a regional stamp of approval is formally procured. The system
we are used to right from the First Republic is one that places the
choice of a running mate at the behest of the candidate, based on
his own convictions on capacity and compatibility.

“From my political history beginning from Deputy Governor to
President, I can say that this is the tradition and standard
practice in countries where either the President and his Vice or
Governor and his deputy contest election on a common slate. In such
instance, once a candidate emerges, he or she is given a free hand
to select the person who understands his vision and plans for the
country, as his running mate.

“I therefore want to directly appeal to my brothers and sisters
from the South East zone who are members of our party to reconsider
their position and allow the presidential candidate of our party to
select a candidate he thinks he can work with to be able to achieve
the party’s development goals. Since Atiku has nominated Mr. Peter
Obi as his running mate, I am pleading with my party members from
the zone to accept his choice.”