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President Goodluck Jonathan has asked members of Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) who were defeated in the party’s recent primary elections
to have a spirit of sportsmanship.

He stated this at a dinner in Abuja at the weekend where he
formally dissolved the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation, which handled his
campaign for the primaries.

Apparently jolted by the rate at which failed aspirants on the
party’s platform were defecting to other parties as well as the threat by
others to do so, Mr Jonathan said such action does not only portray them as
non-committed members, but amounts to anti-party activities.

“I advise people who did not secure their tickets not to leave
the party even if you were not a candidate today you will be one tomorrow. It
is anti-party to leave PDP and pick ticket from another party only to return to
the PDP. You should rather remain there,” Mr. Jonathan said.

Vice President Namadi Sambo in his remarks called on party
members to join hands to ensure the collective victory of the party at the
general elections while also reaffirming the ‘one man one vote’ assurance of
the government.

Also speaking, Senate President, David Mark urged the losers to
behave like Hillary Clinton by joining the winners to campaign for the victory
of the party.

Scores of PDP members across the federation who lost during the
governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly
primaries have either left the party or are at the verge of leaving.

Former vice president and presidential aspirant, Atiku Abubakar,
who lost the Presidential primary, has already dragged Mr Jonathan to the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) alleging that the exercise was
marred by bribery, coercion and rigging.

Mr Abubakar had previously said he would not leave the ruling
party but stated last week that he was ready for dialogue.

Mr Jonathan assured those at the dinner, including governors,
ministers and party chieftains that if those planning to defect change their
minds they will be accommodated in the party.

He thanked the governors for their tireless efforts,
cooperation, contributions and for assiduously working hard to ensure his
victory in the primary.

The president announced the formal disbandment of the
Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation, saying it was imperative to pave way for
a larger campaign structure to be constituted by the PDP national leadership to
oversee the preparation for the main presidential election, which comes up on
April 9.

Campaign kicks on

Stating that it will be the beginning of the real campaign, Mr
Jonathan said that his nationwide campaign will be flagged off today (Monday)
in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital in the North Central geo-political zone
after which the campaigns train will move to the five other zones.

The campaign will move to Ibadan (South West), Bauchi (North
East), Enugu (South East) and Port Harcourt (South-South).

Also speaking at the dinner, the acting national chairman of the
PDP, Bello Mohammed expressed gratitude to the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign
Organisation headed by the Dalhatu Tafida, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the
United Kingdom.

He added, “PDP is the party to beat and Nigerians have realised
this. That is why PDP’s ticket is worth fighting for. So what we are witnessing
within the party is not fighting as a lot of people term it but competition for
tickets because it is the winning party and in President Jonathan we have found
a sellable candidate that will take us to the Promised Land.”

Mr Mohammed said that the party is ready to face the challenges
of the elections, saying “the way to earn respect and confidence of the people
of this country is to reach out to them. I say this because while PDP was going
round campaigning, a lot of our opponents were busy going to court.

“Once we launch the campaigns, we are not going to rest until we
deliver victory come April 2011. This time around, the President has promised
‘one man, one vote.’ We are going to win fair and square. PDP is for all
Nigerians and we are all co-founders and co-joiners.”

The acting chairman pledged to accommodate members of the organisation in
the larger campaign outfit to be constituted by the party.