Nigerian President Mr. Umaru Yar’Adua refused to state his desire to run for second term in office during a political convention in Abuja yesterday. The preisdent waved aside calls to begin a major campaign for second term in office, as he showed little interest in the idea. He went on to challenge those in public office to concentrate on the duty at hand and not on how to retain power.
As members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gathered for a political convention at the Eagle Square in Abuja, Nigeria, promoters of the president’s second term bid were left to wonder, as President Yar’ Adua ignored their bid to make a second term declaration. The president rather called on his fellow compatriots in public offices to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people rather than seeking to retain him in power.
In the last couple of weeks there has been revealing campaigns for the president’s second term bid. And at the PDP convention, the supporters demanded to hear president Yar’ Adua state his desire to run for a second term in office: Even the PDPs National Chairman, Vincent Eze Ogbulafor, demanded automatic tickets for those currently holding public offices. However, president Yar’ Adua who spoke for about 20 minutes after the PDP chairman had spoken, played down a second term bid.
“We must concentrate on discharging the burden of delivering the goods to the people, especially public office officers, governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives and all office holders at all levels. There is time for everything. Nigeria’s electoral process must be seen to be credible and all political parties must ensure the process is in place.”
This administration and the PDP is committed to electoral reforms. It is, therefore, important that all states, especially the PDP controlled states, to initiate the process of reforming State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) to establish a credible culture of democracy and election in the country,” the president said.
President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua is the first civilian leader in Nigeria to have taken over from another after winning controversial polls in April 2007. The moderate muslim and former chemistry teacher is also the first Nigerian leader for 40 years to hold a university degree.
