2015: PDP, lawyers berate Baraje on Jonathan’s tenure

The Peoples Democratic Party has said that those alleging that President Goodluck Jonathan will be seeking for “a third term” should he decide to seek re-election in 2015, are making an issue out of nothing.

Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Alhaji Abdullahi Jalo, said this in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja, on Sunday.

Jalo said such an allegation was undeserving of a response.

He explained that the President was a law-abiding citizen who respects the Constitution.

He said the President was yet to make a  declaration as to whether or not he would contest.

Jalo said, “The issue of third term does not arise at all. We should stop making an issue out of nothing.

“The PDP is a law-abiding party which is built on the rule of law and the Constitution. Our leader, the President is a law-abiding person and a man of his words, the President has said he will make his decision public in 2014. We should all wait.”

He explained that there was no need for people to begin to overheat the system over a non-issue.

Jalo said the PDP is currently more interested in addressing its internal issues than dwelling on trivial matters.

Some senior legal practitioners also dismissed claims by the Baraje-led New PDP that Jonathan would be seeking for a third term by contesting for office in 2015.

Baraje had during a visit to the National Assembly, alleged that President Jonathan would be seeking for a third term “through the back door” if he contested for re-election.

However, in separate telephone interviews with our correspondents in Abuja, on Sunday, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) and Malam Yusuf Ali (SAN), said the Constitution was clear about the issue of tenure.

They also argued that if anyone had issues with the provisions of the Constitution, such was at liberty to contest it before a court of competent jurisdiction.

Ahamba, dismissed insinuations that should the President decide to seek re-election in 2015, he would be flouting the letter and the spirit of the Constitution.

When asked if a decision by Jonathan to seek re-election in 2015 would amount to seeking a third term, Ahamba said, “Strictly speaking, I don’t think so.”

In his response to the same question, Ali said the claim by the Baraje-led New PDP did not deserve serious attention because according to him, it is a mere “distraction.”

He said, “The Constitution is very clear on what is first term and second term. “I don’t think it is a statement that should be taken seriously. Let them go to court and challenge it if they feel strongly about it.

“Politicians have a way of being crafty, so that our attention will be shifted from biting issues.”