The Presidency on Wednesday gave an indication that President Goodluck Jonathan will seek re-election during the 2015 presidential election, saying he will contest against those it described as “serial failures.”
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, disclosed this in an interview with State House correspondents.
Okupe was reacting to an online report which alleged that Jonathan is not interested in seeking re-election in 2015 but is working towards a two-year tenure elongation for himself and other public office holders across the country.
He said tenure elongation under any guise was not in the President’s plan.
He described the report as a continuation of calculated attempts by the opposition to throw everything into the arena to embarrass the President.
The presidential aide said no one should lose sleep because the President has not formally declared his interest in the 2015 race, saying the biggest masquerade always comes out last.
Describing those who had declared interests on the platform of the All Progressives Congress as “serial failures”, Okupe said Vice President Atiku Abubakar had tried three times and failed while former Head of State, Gen. Muhammed Buhari (retd.) had attempted four times.
While further describing them as lacking leadership qualities, he wondered what additional knowledge they have gathered that would enable them compete favourably with the President.
He said, “You know Yoruba people have one proverb which says it is the biggest masquarade that comes out last. The declaration by the opposition is not really something new.
“Most of the candidates of the opposition are serial failures. Atiku has tried twice and has failed, Buhari has done it four times and he has failed.
“If you present yourself for an election, first, second, third and fourth times, what new things are they bringing? Have they gone to school or are they bringing new things. We are absolutely unperturbed.
“The President is going to contest against serial losers. People who never win election. People who have no leadership quality and it is even now worse for them because this President has been given four years platform with which he has demonstrated his administrative capability, efficiency and delivery.”
Okupe also wondered what Buhari will be telling Nigerians during his campaign.
“What is Buhari going to tell Nigerians now? What is the new thing? He was a former military Head of State and that is what he has done; but since then and now, what is the new story? You cannot compare ‘I will do’ to ‘I have done.’ It is not possible,” he added.
Okupe said Jonathan would only declare interest in the race after due consultations.
He expressed the confidence that the President’s decision would be in the larger interest of the party and the country.
He said the decision would be taken very soon.
He added, “The President has been under intense pressure from ordinary citizens, foreign and local interest groups, and especially even his party.
“Virtually all levels of party structure have more or less endorsed the President to run and I believe the President is not going to let us down.
“He has done very well. We appreciate it and we are calling on him to come and run.
“As for the timing of his declaration, it is my belief that it will be after due consideration that he will take an appropriate decision that would be of the larger interest of the party and the country but I don’t see this being too long from now.”
