VIDEO: With Buhari, My Re-Election Will Be Tougher - Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan says his re-election will not be easy because he is faced with a stronger opposition.

Jonathan spoke yesterday on Kakaaki programme on the African Independent Television (AIT). The president emphasised that the opposition was today stronger for him than it was in 2011. He, however, said that the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) still had an edge over the opposition in Nigeria.

“Globally, it is more challenging for a president to secure a second term than the first tenure because people get disappointed when their expectations are not quickly met by those they voted for.

"If not for the defectors from the PDP that gave the opposition its strength.

"The opposition would crumble like a pack of cards, if those defectors were to quit the opposition".

Jonathan said: “I agree with you, it (his election) was easier (in 2011), but PDP is still the dominant party. There is no polling unit in Nigeria where you don’t have members of the PDP.

"Yes, for one reason or the other, within the party, people get angry and may even vote against PDP; but in terms of membership of the PDP, there is no party that has that spread.

“So, PDP still has the most formidable structure. PDP has better chances of winning a national election. Even the opposition will tell you if they’re realistic. Who has strengthened the opposition? Are they not the PDP elements? If you remove the PDP election from the opposition, they’ll just crumble like a pack of cards”.

The president said he believed that Nigerians should re-elect him because he had done well. He said re-electing would enable him to stabilise the various sectors of the economy in the next four years. He said if Nigerians compared the situation of the country before he became president and to his achievements in the last four years, they would want him to continue for another four years. The president described as a wicked fabrication, the allegation that he was plotting to remove the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, before the 2015 general elections.

Reiterating his commitment to free, fair and credible elections, he said no right thinking leader would want to create a situation of chaos in his/her country. Jonathan also called on the political leaders in the country to shun violence, saying “I don’t see any reason for violence during elections”.