By Henry Umoru
ABUJA- AHEAD of the formal declaration of President Goodluck Jonathan for his re-election bid and the party’s National Convention fixed for December 6, National  leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP said Monday that Vice President Namadi Sambo forms an integral part of the endorsement of the president as the sole Presidential candidate by the National Executive Committee, NEC of the party.

VICE-PRESIDENT Namadi Sambo

This may have laid to rest, speculations on whether Vice President Namadi Sambo would return as President Jonathan’s running mate in next year’s election or not.

In a statement by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, since Vice President Sambo has been part of the winning team as described by NEC last Thursday, he equally enjoys the overwhelming confidence of the party in a winning team which according to him, he has demonstrably transformed Nigeria in less than four years despite challenges.

Describing Sambo as part of the Winning team, Metuh said, “The Peoples Democratic Party has decried attempts by a section of the media to impute rift between President Goodluck Jonathan and his Vice, Arc. Mohammed Namadi Sambo ahead of the 2015 general elections, expressing  implicit satisfaction in the working relationship between them and further affirming the Vice President as part of the winning team.”

According to Metuh, the party reinstates “the overwhelming confidence  in a winning team that has demonstrably transformed Nigeria in less than four years despite challenges.

” There is no doubt whatsoever that the Vice President has the implicit confidence of the President. The  PDP is therefore very pleased that they are working together in actualizing the transformation agenda to the popular acclaim of both Nigerians and the international community.

“We wish to place on record as well that  the 66th NEC meeting of our great party which endorsed President Jonathan as the sole candidate of the PDP for the 2015 general elections, responsibly reasoned and anchored this decision on the outstanding performance of the Jonathan Presidency of which Vice President Sambo is an integral part of. ”

“This motion which was unanimously endorsed by NEC left no room for any form of speculation  as Sen. Jim Nwobodo who seconded it, expressly commended both the President and his Vice for lifting the banner of the PDP very high while  praying the  NEC to approve the motion.

“The party added that its statement was to clarify obvious misinterpretation arising from its position at the world press conference yesterday( Sunday) where it averred that the President was yet to accept the sole presidential candidacy offered by its NEC.”