2015: It’s fight to the finish - Atiku. Vows to kick against amendment to PDP’s constitution in favour of Jonathan

FORMER vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said any attempt to amend the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in favour of the incumbent president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, in order to make him a sole candidate while excluding other presidential aspirants for 2015 election, would be a fight to the finish and an attempt that would be resisted by members of the party.

Atiku said this against the background of speculations that the PDP was working to amend its constitution, so as to make the president a sole candidate of the presidential slot, in the event of his willingness to re-contest.

Speaking with newsmen in Kano, Atiku said such action was grossly unconstitutional, adding that it would never be allowed to succeed.

“My position is that, as far as PDP constitution is concerned, any attempt to change the rule to favour President Jonathan as a sole candidate in the event of his willingness to contest is unconstitutional.

“The contest should be open to all who have desires to pursue ambition on the platform of the PDP. I don’t see any such amendment of the party constitution successful. We are looking forward to a successful transition in 2015,” he said.

The former vice-president, who also faulted a statement credited to a commissioner of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to the effect that “there would be no election in the North in 2015 on account of the security challenges,” said it was an inaccurate statement.

“Again, all these talks that there would be no election in the North on the account of Boko Haram insurgency is rubbish. I disagree with INEC on this issue,” he said.

He also spoke on the allegation that INEC and some PDP stalwarts were working to thwart the successful registration of the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that “a private investigation exonerated him from the allegation.”

tribune