Adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan as the Alliance for Democracy (AD) Presidential candidate for the rescheduled March 28 election by the party’s national chairman, Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfewa is taking its toll on the unity of the party.

The Presidential Candidate of AD, Mr Rafiu Salau, in a statement issued in Abuja insisted that he remains the party’s Presidential candidate, stressing that, the party has not declared for any Party or a Presidential Candidate in the coming election.

It will be recalled that, the Senator Akinfewa-led National Executive of the party had an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, suspended Mr Salau with 39 votes to six and subsequently disowned him as the party’s presidential candidate.

The party had also announced that President Jonathan would be its adopted candidate in the Presidential election.

However, Salau in his statement said, “The party and the candidate, Rafiu Salau, have not declared for any party or candidate.

“The candidate of the party has the full support of the members nationwide to contest and win the presidential election, in order to bring an end to the economy of the few by the few for the few.”

The statement added further that, “The fact is that his declaration is zero. Even the voters in his ward shall not vote based on his statement. Since 2003 that he took over the leadership of the party, he was unable to get a counselor before he was removed at the convention held on March 7, 2015. The party that had 6 governors, over 80 National Assembly and majority members in 2013 was unable to get a single national assembly member for twelve years of his leadership.

“The purpose of the declaration is selfishness. It was an action for personal interest.

“He (Senator Akinfenwa) has no right to make any statement on behalf of the party. The party has concluded its convention with the election of new members of Central Working Committee.

“The new Chairman of the party is the Presidential Candidate, Rafiu Salau. The delegates declared their total support for the leadership style of Rafiu Salau.

“According to the delegates, my performance as the National Treasurer of the party between 2000 and 2003 was unique. Therefore, they all agreed that my leadership will take the party back to its position as one of the first three parties.

“I am the candidate with the manifesto of the party that will make Nigeria a great nation with the best economy that will provide jobs for the labor force of population of 70 million.”

“Under the leadership of AD, the nation will change the sharing formula of national income. Currently, the federal ,State and Local Governments share the 100% of the national Income. The new formula under AD is 70 percent for the federal, State and Local while 30% will be for investment in the economy.

“Without investment, jobs cannot be created and the economy cannot grow to accommodate the labor force population of 70 million. We are coming with the economy of the people by the people for the people.

“The 30 % of the national income will be invested in capital goods that will give Nigerian entrepreneurs with working experience the opportunity to establish companies for manufacturing and services in their various industries. They will create jobs and increase the national income.

“The country will become a rich nation under the presidential candidate of AD. The AD is coming to change the structure of the economy so that there will be an assurance of continuity of the economic growth.

“Every member of the labor force will be empowered with knowledge and skills that will ensure that the nation has the capacity to embark on any manufacturing products and services.

“First, every child of 5 to 21 years old will be under education industry so that all Nigerian youths will be knowledgeable. Secondly, there will be institutes nationwide that will train and retrain the labor force so that the nation will have the workforce needed for businesses of the economy.

“The party members are appealing to President Jonathan to denounce the fake pronouncement of Senator Akinfenwa. His announcement is a great disrespect to democracy. Declaring for the President when the party has a presidential candidate shows lack of understanding of the purpose of political system.

“He has defected to the PDP. Some leaders of the PDP were at the declaration to receive him. Senator Akinfenwa can only defect to any party of his choice or declares for the candidate he will vote for. He doesn’t have the political power to direct the votes of the AD members nationwide, because he could not influenced the voting pattern of AD members during his leadership for 12 years.

“That was why he could not win a Local government, state or national elections during his 12 years leadership. His style of leadership discouraged all the founding members so they left the party to form other parties.

“Even when those who defected to other parties left their new parties they didn’t come back to AD. They preferred to go to other parties.

“He cannot represent the party anymore because he is no more a member of the National Executive Committee. Apart from the fact that the tenure of the last Central Working Committee expired in January, it was obvious that he has defected to PDP to negotiate with the political strength of AD”, the statement stated.

*Adapted from Nigerian Tribune. Photo shows Jonathan