Jonathan issues ultimatum to PDP defectors

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday said politicians who want to defect to the  Peoples Democratic Party should do so within a few days or be ready to queue behind wards heads when they finally do so.

He insisted that the PDP was a party to beat, and that would be no democracy without the ruling party.

Jonathan spoke at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, Imo State during PDP’s sensitisation rally, where some party bigwigs were received back into the party.

Among those who were received at the rally were Mr. Achike Udenwa, Senator Chris Anyanwu, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, Mr. Mike Ahamba, Mr. Cosmas Iwu, Mr. Lambert Iheanacho, Independence Ogunewe, among others.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, was absent at the rally attended  by Vice-President Namadi Sambo; President of the Senate, David Mark; his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha; National Chairman of PDP, Adamu Muazu; Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Tony Anenih; now Supervising Minister of Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri, among others.

Jonathan said,  “We have opened the door for a few days. If you join us these few days, the position you occupy is the position any other person will occupy. No discrimination.

“But if you don’t come and come later, you will queue behind your ward assistant chairman.”

Jonathan assured the people that work on the second Niger Bridge would start soon and also praised governor Peter Obi of Anambra State for his prudent use of resources of the state.

Meanwhile, the South-East chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has described President  Jonathan’s visit to Imo State as an opportunity to reconcile warring factions in its bid to gain control of the state again from the All Progressives Grand Alliance.

The PDP lost the state to APGA in the 2011 elections, and is seeking to reclaim it in the forthcoming 2015 elections.

Speaking during President Jonathan’s visit on Saturday, the PDP National Vice-Chairman in the South-East zone, Col. Austin Akobundu (retd), said  the President’s visit and rally “are enough signals to the Rochas Okorocha’s government that the game is over for him.”

He said, “Okorocha’s All Progressives Congress government should leave the stage for a people-oriented party.”