''President Goodluck Jonathan is not qualified to seek re-election in 2015'' – New PDP

The leadership of the New Peoples Democratic Party has  said that  President Goodluck Jonathan is not qualified to seek reelection in 2015.

The reasons why he cannot contest, according to the group, are: The 1999 Constitution, an agreement the President  entered into and his open statement in Turkey in 2011.

The President had  on Monday said that the 1999  Constitution allowed  him to be in  office for a maximum of eight years.

He had said, 

“Already, we have a constitution that makes provision for maximum of eight years for anyone who wants to become a President or a governor.

“There is no President or governor that all citizens vote for but at the end of the election, if somebody emerges, you must allow the person to work.

“If you love your country, you would want your country to work. That does not mean that you will not vote against the person if you don’t like the way he works, but you must allow him to work.”

But the New PDP, released a statement via its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze.

The  statement reads, 

“We are worried that Mr. President is intent on running despite his earlier promise not to do so and in spite of the wise counsel of well-meaning Nigerians, including respected elder statesmen. 

“In February, 2011 while interacting with Nigerians and diplomats working in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union in Ankara, Turkey, President Jonathan clearly stated  ‘I would have loved that the Nigerians in  the Diaspora vote this year (2011) but to be frank with you, that is going to be difficult now.

‘Presently, the law does not allow the voting outside Nigeria and so this year, Nigerians in Diaspora will not vote but I will work towards it by 2015 even though I will not be running for election.’

“Mr. President went ahead to add, ‘Four years is enough for anyone in power to make significant improvement and if I can’t improve on power within this period, it then means I cannot do anything even if I am there for the next four years.’

“This is a historical fact which Mr. President himself cannot deny now since he had two years to deny that statement but never did so.”

“Why can he not keep his words as a man of honour instead of allowing himself to be misled by selfish advisers to go back on his words, thereby overheating the polity?” 

It asked the President how he would want Nigerians and the entire world to see him if he eventually makes a U-Turn.