PDP govs to Jonathan: Road to 2015 ’ll be rough

 

The Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, who also spoke during the ceremony, said they were of the opinion that the PDP would win the presidential election and 30 out of the 36 governorship seats in the country.

He said, “ Mr. President, we know that the route to 2015 is not going to be very smooth but we are assuring you that at the end of the tunnel, victory will be yours and the PDP.

“We were robbed of three states, but the entry of Ekiti and Ondo states have increased our number. We may end up with about 30 states.”

Akpabio, who is also the   Akwa Ibom State governor, also vowed that the PDP would   not hand over the country to sponsors of terrorism.

He said, “We will never be intimidated. You (Jonathan) are like David in the Bible. You are fighting all the wars today so that future Presidents in Nigeria will have peace.

“We recognise that. You have taken the right step by building the Almajiri schools particularly in Northern Nigeria; you are building other schools in the South.

“You have decided to take education as a major step to educate Nigerian children so that they will not be misled in the future again.

“Never again will people mislead our children into terrorism; never again will our children succumb to insurgency. We are witnessing something that is totally un-Nigerian and we are saying do not be intimidated. We are behind you.

“Those who are behind you are more than those that are against you. In 2015, all Nigerians are going to tell you that we are behind you.

“The opposition is fighting a selfish war; they are coming to distablise Nigeria. We will not hand over this country to blackmailers; we will not hand over this country to sponsors of terrorism.”

He said the APC had no plan for the country and described it as a blackmailer and agent of destabilisation.

Speaking on behalf of PDP lawmakers, the President of the Senate, David Mark, noted that if   Jonathan did not come back in 2015, the programmes he initiated would be truncated.

Pointing out that the PDP was the first to admit that Nigeria had security challenges, he   urged the President to bring the issue of terrorism to an end.

The PDP leaders in six geopolitical zones   committed themselves to the unity of the country, which, according to them, is the purpose of the declaration.

A chieftain of the party from Lagos State, Chief Bode George, who spoke for the South-West, noted that the choice of the date when Jonathan declared was not a mere co-incidence.

He said the date coincided with the World Amistist Day, adding that the people of his zone would not ignore the power of prophecy by their late leader, Pa Obafemi Awolowo.

He said the late sage had predicted that one day, an Ijaw man would be the President of the country.

Alhaji Hassan Adamu, who spoke for the members of the party in North-East, said that   Jonathan had fulfilled his promises of boosting education in the region with the approval of   universities in Potiskum and Wukari and connecting the region with rail tracks from Bauchi.

He said the 17 million electorate in the North-West were solidly behind   Jonathan.

Also, a former Governor of Rivers State,   Peter Odili, said the South-South was grateful to Nigerians from other zones   for voting for the President in 2011.

Odili said the zone had absolute trust and confidence in the capacity and capability of   Jonathan to make Nigeria   a better country.

Professor Jerry Gana, who spoke on behalf of the people of the North-Central, described   Jonathan as a catalyst for development.

A former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, who spoke for PDP supporters in the South-East, pointed out that the successes recorded so far by the Jonathan administration demanded continuity.

Noting that the “Second Niger Bridge initiated by the President is underway,” he added that the interest of the South-East “is fully captured in the Jonathan Presidency.”

The Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, who also spoke during the ceremony, said they were of the opinion that the PDP would win the presidential election and 30 out of the 36 governorship seats in the country.

He said, “ Mr. President, we know that the route to 2015 is not going to be very smooth but we are assuring you that at the end of the tunnel, victory will be yours and the PDP.

“We were robbed of three states, but the entry of Ekiti and Ondo states have increased our number. We may end up with about 30 states.”

Akpabio, who is also the   Akwa Ibom State governor, also vowed that the PDP would   not hand over the country to sponsors of terrorism.

He said, “We will never be intimidated. You (Jonathan) are like David in the Bible. You are fighting all the wars today so that future Presidents in Nigeria will have peace.

“We recognise that. You have taken the right step by building the Almajiri schools particularly in Northern Nigeria; you are building other schools in the South.

“You have decided to take education as a major step to educate Nigerian children so that they will not be misled in the future again.

“Never again will people mislead our children into terrorism; never again will our children succumb to insurgency. We are witnessing something that is totally un-Nigerian and we are saying do not be intimidated. We are behind you.

“Those who are behind you are more than those that are against you. In 2015, all Nigerians are going to tell you that we are behind you.

“The opposition is fighting a selfish war; they are coming to distablise Nigeria. We will not hand over this country to blackmailers; we will not hand over this country to sponsors of terrorism.”

He said the APC had no plan for the country and described it as a blackmailer and agent of destabilisation.

Speaking on behalf of PDP lawmakers, the President of the Senate, David Mark, noted that if   Jonathan did not come back in 2015, the programmes he initiated would be truncated.

Pointing out that the PDP was the first to admit that Nigeria had security challenges, he   urged the President to bring the issue of terrorism to an end.

The PDP leaders in six geopolitical zones   committed themselves to the unity of the country, which, according to them, is the purpose of the declaration.

A chieftain of the party from Lagos State, Chief Bode George, who spoke for the South-West, noted that the choice of the date when Jonathan declared was not a mere co-incidence.

He said the date coincided with the World Amistist Day, adding that the people of his zone would not ignore the power of prophecy by their late leader, Pa Obafemi Awolowo.

He said the late sage had predicted that one day, an Ijaw man would be the President of the country.

Alhaji Hassan Adamu, who spoke for the members of the party in North-East, said that   Jonathan had fulfilled his promises of boosting education in the region with the approval of   universities in Potiskum and Wukari and connecting the region with rail tracks from Bauchi.

He said the 17 million electorate in the North-West were solidly behind   Jonathan.

Also, a former Governor of Rivers State,   Peter Odili, said the South-South was grateful to Nigerians from other zones   for voting for the President in 2011.

Odili said the zone had absolute trust and confidence in the capacity and capability of   Jonathan to make Nigeria   a better country.

Professor Jerry Gana, who spoke on behalf of the people of the North-Central, described   Jonathan as a catalyst for development.

A former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, who spoke for PDP supporters in the South-East, pointed out that the successes recorded so far by the Jonathan administration demanded continuity.

Noting that the “Second Niger Bridge initiated by the President is underway,” he added that the interest of the South-East “is fully captured in the Jonathan Presidency.”