Jonathan would’ve suffered worse defeat if we didn’t help – Fani-Kayode

Former minister and spokesperson for President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode, has debunked claims that hate campaign by some members of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation caused the party’s defeat at the March 28 presidential election.

Mr. Fani-kayode, who served as Director of Media and Publicity of the organisation, spoke with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said President Goodluck Jonathan would have lost the presidential election by at least 10 million votes but for the intervention of his campaign team.

Mr. Jonathan lost the election by less than 3 million votes.

He was reacting to recent accusation by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) that the electoral misfortune that hit the party after the 2015 elections was due to hate campaigns by the party’s campaign organisation.

Mr. Fani-kayode, who described some members of the party’s NWC as “enemy within us”, alleged that two members of the committee were working for the opposition in the course of the election.

He described most members of the NWC as ignorant of party campaigns, adding that the campaign organisation “stood up for the party, fought for the President and did not betray the cause”.

While calling for the resignation of the NWC, Mr. Fani-Kayode defended the media strategy used by the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation.

He also exonerated the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, Gov. Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State of blame in the loss of the party.

Mr. Fani-kayode said while President Jonathan was constantly under serious hostile pressure during the campaigns, the First Lady encouraged the organisation and inspired its members more than anyone else.

“I do not want to rock the boat out of respect for our President and our party elders; otherwise I would say a lot more that will shock the nation and the party faithful.

“I have a whole file on it which we compiled during the campaign. Two members of the NWC specifically were actually working for the APC and were on their payroll,” he said.

Their job, he added, was to destroy the PDP fortunes, expose its secrets, create discord in its ranks and undermine the efforts of the campaign organisation in the media campaign…