President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria has allayed fears that elections may not hold in some states in Nigeria, giving the assurance that all states, including those in the volatile north-east, will take part in the 2015 elections.
The President gave the assurance in Abuja on Thursday morning while delivering his acceptance speech after the Peoples Democratic Party ratified his choice as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2015 election.
He was given the party’s ticket after he polled 2,812 ‘YES’ votes to get the needed support from the 3,073 party’s delegates at the National Convention held at the Eagles Square in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
President Jonathan had earlier been chosen as the sole candidate of the party, a development that did not go down well with some members of the party who had the intention of vying for the ticket.
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s political sector have expressed fears that election may not hold in the volatile north-east that had been under siege.
A terrorist group, the Boko Haram, has carried out most of its attacks in the region.
The terrorist group demanding for an Islamic State and an end to western education has continued to carry out attacks on schools, villages, towns, churches, mosques and other public places in the region.
Six persons were killed on Wednesday in a latest suicide bomb attack on a market in Kano State in north-west Nigeria.
In his acceptance speech, President Jonathan accepted the nomination as the PDP presidential candidate, assuring his supporters and Nigerians that he will not let them down.
He also announced Vice President Namadi Sambo as his running mate in the election.
“The 2015 elections will hold in all the 36 states of the Federation,” he said.
He observed that the convention of the PDP that brought him as the presidential candidate was held on Human Rights Day and reiterated that no Nigerian would go on exile for holding contrary views under his administration.
The President further enumerated his achievements in the last four years and promised to serve with more humility and firmness when voted into power again.
President Jonathan also emphasised that no one’s political ambition was worth the blood of any Nigerian.
The PDP’s National Convention was held to also ratify the appointment of its national chairman, Mr Adamu Mu’azu and also fill two other positions in the National Working Committee – National Secretary and National Auditor.