GEJ-PDP, hope for Nigerians

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday said irrespective of what his critics and those of the Peoples Democratic Party would say, his administration and the ruling party had fulfilled their promise to Nigerians.

Jonathan made the declaration in his remarks at the special convention of the party held at the Eagles Square, Abuja.

He described the giant strides recorded in the privatisation of the power sector, reformation of the aviation sector, revamping of the
railway, agriculture transformation agenda, successes in the oil and gas sector as well as massive infrastructural  development as facts.

He said no matter what opposition parties would say, PDP is the party destined to take the country to greatness as it is not only the party of the present, but that of the future.

While admitting that Nigerians had yet to get to where they ought to be, Jonathan expressed the conviction that the party would lead the nation to its rightful position.

He promised that the party and his administration would never betray the trust reposed in them by majority of Nigerians, saying they could not afford to let them down.

The President said, “Of the three political parties registered in 1998, only PDP has retained its singular identity and core vision as a political movement till date while others have been changed  along the way or subsumed their identity in search of political direction and relevance.

“ The PDP has remained a strong fortress of hope for our people but remained focus on building a greater Nigeria, one that can afford this generation and the generation to come better life.

“As we approach the 2015 general elections, many doomsday scenarios are being propagated but the PDP will continue to grow bigger and bigger and stronger and stronger.

“The visible vibrancy that our party has encouraged from 1998 helped to strengthen our party and support the goals of internal democracy of this country. It will foster greater democracy in our party. We believe in freedom of speech, we believe in the freedom of association, we believe in the freedom of participation.

“The PDP is the party for patriots, for those who for partisan reasons continue to deny or feign ignorance of the progress Nigeria has made under the PDP leadership listen to me.

Specifically, he said great progress had  been made in the rehabilitation and the reconstruction of the Kano-Maiduguri Expressway, Abuja-Lokoja Expressway, Ontisha- Owerri Expressway and the Benin-Shagamu Express way among others.

He also described the PDP as the only Nigerian political party that was growing in leaps and bounds and is collectively-owned.

He advised all party members to be committed to the progress of the party and the nation, adding that Nigerians have promising years ahead of them.