President
Goodluck Jonathan has said he will pick his nomination form on or
before the expiration of the deadline given to all aspirants, by the
People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
He stated his decision at a private meeting with governors held at the House 7 wing of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
An
official source, who was privy to the meeting said the president
thanked the governors for endorsing him and said he has finally made up
his mind to take the baton of expression.
The source who spoke
on condition of anonymity said the president has already set up his
Presidential Declaration Committee and will pick his form on his return
from Israel.
The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party,
PDP, had on Wednesday directed the president and other aspirants to pick
their forms for nomination and expression of interest on or before
October 30 or risk not participating in the 2015 general elections.
Mr.
Jonathan is to formally declare his presidential ambition between
November 7 and 15, a decision which will be taken by his re-election
committee, his associates said.
The President will on Friday depart Lagos on a brief pilgrimage to Israel, his office said in a statement on Thursday.
The
statement issued in Abuja by Reuben Abati, the Special Adviser to the
President on Media and Publicity, said Mr. Jonathan would visit
Christian Holy sites during the pilgrimage.
According to the
statement, he will join other Nigerian pilgrims in a prayer session for
the well-being and progress of the country at an Inter-Denominational
Service in Jerusalem on Sunday.
The president, who will be
accompanied by the Chaplain of the Presidential Villa, Obioma
Onwuzurumba, and his principal aides, is expected back in Abuja on
Monday.
Mr. Jonathan’s trip to Israel, which is his second in 12
months, is coming about four months to the 2015 presidential election
in which he is most likely to run as the candidate of the governing
Peoples Democratic Party [PDP]. The Independent National Electoral
Commission [INEC] has fixed February 14, 2015 for the next presidential
election.
Credit: Talatu Usman/PremiumTimes
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