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Tag: Jonathan

Why I’m supporting Jonathan – Fayose

The governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose on Monday said his support for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan was in appreciation for the opportunity given him to serve the people of Ekiti state.

Fayose, who made this known during his campaign tour to Ikole in Ekiti, said it would be wrong on his part if he did not support the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Fayose said: “I was removed as Ekiti state governor in 2006 by one President but re-elected as governor in 2014 under another President and I will forever be grateful to the latter.

“The overwhelming support I have been receiving from the people of Ekiti since my assumption of office has clearly shown that I was wrongly removed in 2006.

“You should show the support during the February elections by voting for the re-election of President Jonathan and other candidates under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

The governor reiterated his commitment to the welfare of Ekiti people and pledged to always do what would alleviate poverty and improve their living standards.

Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of PDP flags to the party candidates for House of Assembly, House of Representative and the Senate seats from the area.

The candidates are Mr. Gboyega Aribisogan- Ikole State Constituency 1, Mrs. Titilayo Owolabi-Ikole 11, Pastor Kehinde Agboola- Ikole Federal Constituency 1 and Chief Duro Faseyi- Ekiti North Senatorial District.

February 3, 2015
How Jonathan administration ran Nigeria’s economy aground, by APC

The President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration has succeeded in running the country’s economy aground with incompetence, massive corruption and unparalleled profligacy, the All Progressives Congress (APC) said yesterday.

Its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who said this in a statement, added that Nigerians cannot afford to reward the president with another four years.

“The only reason the Jonathan administration and the PDP have been engaging in a campaign of mudslinging, rather than of issues, is to distract the attention of Nigerians from the very serious state of the nation’s economy. But we have decided to redirect the ongoing electioneering campaign to issues,” the statement said.

It said whereas Jonathan has been promising that he would create two million jobs yearly if re-elected, the reality on the ground did not support that promise, especially because his administration failed to create meaningful jobs when oil prices were higher than $100 per barrel.

The party noted that instead of employing, the president was “extorting hapless job seekers and giving them deaths instead”.

“The Jonathan administration has been lying to Nigerians on the issue of employment. The Works Minister said Nigeria is like one huge construction site, with many people employed in this sector. But the truth of the matter is that the biggest construction firms in Nigeria have been retrenching, rather than employing.

“Last year, Julius Berger retrenched 6,000 people while Dantata Sawoe laid off 2,800. If indeed Nigeria were one huge construction site, will these big construction firms be sacking workers?” APC queried.

The party also said the Federal Government had pauperised most states and made it impossible for them to pay the salaries of their workers by refusing to refund the huge funds they spent on federal projects, adding: ‘’For example, Jigawa State is owed N13 billion by the Federal Government.”

It said more than anything else, unprecedented corruption under the Jonathan administration has dealt a death blow to the economy.

APC said, for example, crude oil stealing has become so legalised that there was now what is known as “Bayelsa diesel” in the market, “a fall-out of the 400,000 barrels per day of crude oil that is stolen in Nigeria, under the very nose of the Jonathan administration”.

“To put things in perspective, apart from the fact that the 400,000bpd amounts to US$60 billion stolen in just four years, the 400,000bpd is the equivalent of the daily crude oil production of Equatorial Guinea,” the party said.

It also said the government has not been able to account for huge sums of money, including the $20 billion missing oil funds and the funds that should have accrued to the Excess Crude Account (ECA).

“At the crude oil benchmark of $77.5 for the 2014 budget, Nigeria made $33 per every barrel of oil, which amounts to about $24 billion in a year. However, there is less than $6 billion in the ECA. What happened to the remainder?

“Also, over N1 trillion was budgeted for defence in 2014. What has the Jonathan administration done with the funds, with soldiers deployed to battle the terrorist group, Boko Haram, complaining of inadequate or ineffective equipment that are inferior to what is being used by the terrorists? What has happened to the huge funds since soldiers are being made to pay for their kits? Why has the huge allocation translated to more territories seized by the insurgents? These are some of the questions that the Jonathan administration should be answering, not asking Nigerians for another mandate,’’ APC said.

The party also reminded Nigerians that Ifeanyi Uba, who is the face of the so-called Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) that has spent over N25 billion campaigning for the president, is one of those accused of kerosene subsidy fraud.

“But instead of prosecuting him diligently, the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has settled the matter out of court and returned all his seized assets to him. How else can a government encourage corruption and impunity?” it queried.

APC accused the Jonathan administration of engaging in mind-boggling profligacy at a time of harsh economic realities, adding: ‘’This Administration has just built a new banquet hall at the presidential villa to the tune of $100 million and it is now shopping for a brand new private jet to add to the presidential fleet that is bigger than those of more endowed nations as well as most airlines across Africa.”

“We have provided these facts and figures so that Nigerians will know how and why their nation’s economy has arrived at this sorry pass under the most incompetent, most corrupt and most profligate administration ever in the history of the country.

“When they promise millions of jobs if re-elected, Nigerians should ask them how many jobs they have created in six years. When they promise to tackle corruption, Nigerians should ask them what has happened to the $20 billion missing oil funds and the $24 billion that accrued to the Excess Crude Account in 2014 alone. They should ask where TAN got the 25 billion Naira it has frittered away on a campaign that is heading nowhere. They should ask why the likes of Ifeanyi Uba are now part of the president’s men, when he should be answering questions on the kerosene subsidy fraud. They should ask why there is no money in the Pension Fund,” the party said.

February 3, 2015
Jonathan, Fashola, Atiku, Ashafa mourn

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday expressed sadness over the passing away of one of Nigeria’s leading entrepreneurs, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, President Jonathan condoled with the family, friends, associates, business partners and the people of Lagos, where he held the traditional title of Asoju-Oba.

It reads: “The President shares their pain and sorrow as they mourn the late Chief Okoya-Thomas who was also honoured in his lifetime with the traditional titles of Odofin of Ile- Ife and Bobasuwa of Ijebu-Remo.

“President Jonathan urges members of the Okoya-Thomas family and all others who mourn the very successful businessman to be comforted by the knowledge that he lived a very worthy and fulfilled life, and left a legacy of great entrepreneurial achievements for his successors to build on.”

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar said his death was a huge blow to the community of businessmen.

In a statement from his media Office in Abuja, Atiku said that the late Okoya-Thomas was a visionary and astute businessman whose contribution to Nigeria’s private sector economy will remain indelible.

He said: “Although the late Molade Okoya-Thomas left the stage at a prime age of 79, his death nonetheless is a huge blow.

“His legacies will remain indelible in corporate Nigeria and I pray God will grant his family and loved ones the fortitude to bear the loss.”

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola described the deceased as an epitome of humaneness and dedication to service.

In a letter to the widow, Mrs. Olivia Abosede Okoya-Thomas, the governor said he and the people had been the beneficiaries of the deceased’s great wisdom and philanthropy over the years.

Fashola said: “It is with great sorrow that my family and I heard of the passing of your husband.

“Lagos State was indeed lucky to be the home of the Late Chief Okoya-Thomas because the state felt his impact in various sectors, especially in education, where he was Chancellor of the State University.

“He was always blunt when dishing out his sage advice but I knew it was because he genuinely cared about the welfare and progress of the state and its people.”

In his condolence message, Senator Gbenga Ashafa described the business mogul as a rare gem that left us when we needed him most.

“Chief Okoya was an essential of benevolence, notable business man, sports lover and a philanthropist of great repute.”

February 3, 2015
Group to Jonathan: You’re incompetent to rule Nigeria

President Goodluck Jonathan came under heavy knocks on Monday when a group known as Anambra group for Buhari (AIG 4 Buhari) labelled him as incompetent to rule Nigeria.

Also, the group described former leader of Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Chief Government Ekpenupolo (aka-Tompolo) and Asari Dokubo as insensitive and irresponsible for threatening war if Jonathan fails in this month’s elections.

Speaking with reporters in Awka, the leader of the group, Nicholas Emeka Asuzu and the Deputy Chairman, Jude Afunaya, alleged that the raging Boko-Haram menace in the country was being sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party –led government.

The group’s helmsmen, all lawyers, declared that Nigerians should not allow themselves to be fooled by Jonathan’s claims of being part of Ndigbo by mere adding Igbo names to his belt.

The group said Ndigbo should stop whipping up sentiment and vote the right candidate in the elections.

“Calling Gen. Mohammadu Buhari a Boko-Haram person by some selfish persons is giving a dog a bad name to hang it, the real Boko-haram people are Jonathan and his PDP members.

“Our objective is to make the voices of the Anambra people count in the next political dispensation. We want Anambra people not to be misled by sentiments and selfish political actors in making their choice between the two major gladiators in the forthcoming election, President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP and Gen. Mohammadu buhari of the APC,” the group stated.

February 2, 2015
ABC of Jonathan’s visit, by Winners’ Chapel

•Oyedepo ‘never said I will open gates of hell’

The Living Faith Church Worldwide (aka Winners’ Chapel) has described the allegation that its Presiding Bishop David Oyedepo endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for this month’s election as unfounded.

Its Resident Pastor, Pastor Ubong Ntia, in a statement yesterday, said for over a week now, the news and social media had been abuzz with rumours, insinuations and misinformation, concerning the January 25 visit of President Jonathan to the church’s headquarters in Ota, Ogun State.

Pastor Ntia said the information portrayed an open declaration for the President, adding that it was done with the view to dent the image of Bishop Oyedepo and to create confusion in the polity.

He said: “Let it be clearly stated that Bishop is first and foremost a man of God and he remains one; and he can only accommodate all persons of different political backgrounds and inclinations, particularly leaders for whom the Bible has instructed that spiritual intercessions be made.

“The event of Sunday, January 25, 2015, in which President Jonathan visited the church, was obviously not out of place,” he said.

Pastor Ntia explained that the president and his entourage arrived at the church for the third service at about 9.30am and were ushered in to occupy the front seats alongside the resident pastor and other senior pastors.

He said: “Thereafter, in honour of the President, Bishop Oyedepo invited President Jonathan to ‘bring a word of greeting’ to the congregation.

“President Jonathan spent approximately six minutes in his address, clearly stating that he would be careful not to sound political so that his visit and intentions would not be construed as campaign.

“In his brief speech, he adulated the ministry and person of Bishop for the mighty works of faith, prayer for Nigeria and educational milestones the Living Faith Church has engendered for national development.

“He then expressed his belief that the elections of 2015 would go peacefully, while also asking for the people of God to pray more.

“The President neither covertly asked for votes, nor overtly impressed the congregation with any unsolicited advertorial to win their electoral minds,” he said.

Pastor Ntia stressed that Bishop Oyedepo did not call the president to the altar for any special cleansing or deliverance.

Bishop Oyedepo, the pastor added, said at the service: “I like us to be on our feet and lift the President up to God. Whatever you desire to see God bring about in his life, bring about in our nation.

“Release unusual grace in increasing dimensions, to match the demands of his office. Cause your face to shine upon him. Lord, grant the desires of his heart. Grant Nigeria peace! Under him, grant Nigeria greater advancement. Thank you, Father; in Jesus’ Name we pray.”

He maintained that Bishop Oyedepo then closed the prayer thus with the remarks: “This entire church proclaims the President blessed today; blessed with divine wisdom to match the demands of his office; and blessed with peace to see the miraculous in his life.”

Pastor Ntia said Bishop Oyedepo never cursed anybody, who opposed the President.

“Therefore, there was no where nor was there any time the following prayer or words were uttered by the church or Bishop: ‘I will open the gates of hell to anyone who opposes you, or I will open the gates of hell to anyone who opposes the peace of this nation,’”the cleric said.

He added that it was incomprehensible, therefore, that some people would attribute “I will open the gates of hell to anyone who opposes you” to the church’s presiding bishop during a service that was attended by over 40,000 people and which was in the full glare of the world.

“Those imported words were probably for political profiteering and attention patronage by bloggers. Whatever the intention was, may Almighty God forgive the perpetrators.

“We consider the mischievous imputation and its uncritical acceptance as the handiwork of those who had been seeking a veritable point to strike and injure the integrity of our church, and they found the President’s visit during this season of elections as the right point to make an attempt to drag our hard-earned image in the mud,” Pastor Ntia said.

February 2, 2015
Feb. 14 poll: Court urged to stop Jonathan from running

Barely 12 days to the general elections, a suit has been filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja challenging the eligibility of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The plaintiffs, who are Prof. Tunde Samuel, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, Mr. Razak Adeosun and Yahaya Ezemoo, are pleading with the court to restrain Dr. Jonathan from contesting, putting himself forward and or accepting to contest for the office of President, Federal Republic of Nigeria at the 2015 presidential election.

The only defendant in the matter, which is already assigned to Court 7, is the President.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the application, which was filed by a team of crack lawyers mostly Senior Advocates.

The counsel in the matter are Yusuf Ali (SAN), A. B. Mahmoud(SAN), Adebayo Adelodun(SAN), Sirajo Chedi (SAN), Dr. Tunji Abayomi, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, K.K. Eleja and A.O. Usman.

Six more Senior Advocates will join the team whenever the legal fireworks begin because the plaintiffs have asked for two SANs from each of the six geopolitical zones.

Relying on Sections 135 to 146 of the 1999 Constitution, the plaintiffs averred that Jonathan cannot take the oath of office more than twice as president.

They also said under the constitution, any President of Nigeria cannot be in office beyond eight years of two terms.

They said if Jonathan is allowed to contest and is sworn in as president, he would be spending 10 years in office contrary to the spirit and intendment of the 1999 Constitution.

They urged the court to determine three issues and sought for six reliefs in the originating summons.

The plaintiffs’ prayers are as follows:

*whether having regards to the intendment and general scheme of the Constitution, especially the provisions of sections 1 (1) &(2), 135 (1)& (2), 137(1)(b), 140 (1) &(2),142 (1)&(2) and 146(1)(3)(b)(c) thereof, it is constitutional, lawful, legal and permissible for a person to occupy the office of the president for a cumulative and or aggregate period of more than eight years;

•whether having regards to the intendment and the general scheme of the Constitution, especially the provisions of Sections 1(1) & (2) and 135(1) thereof, the defendant is eligible to seek re-election or contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for another term of four years, which will bring his cumulative and or aggregate period in office as president beyond the eight years maximum period allowable by the Constitution;

•whether having regards to the intendment and the general scheme of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) especially section 1(1) & (2), 135 (1)&(2), 137 (1)(b), 140 (1) & (2), 142(1)& (2) and 146(1) (3) (b)& (c) thereof, the period the defendant served as President from May 6, 2010 to May 28, 2011, ought not to be reckoned with and taken into cognisance in computing the total period he has spent and could spend in office as President of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The plaintiffs asked for these reliefs.

•a declaration that having regards to the provisions of the Constitution, it is unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal and not permissible for any person to occupy the office of the President for more than a cumulative and or aggregate period of eight years when the country is not at war and it is practicable to hold election into the office of President;

•a declaration that having regards to the Provisions of the Constitution, the defendant, is not eligible to seek re-election into the office of President for another term of four years from 2015, as that would have permitted him to occupy the office of President, for more than the eight years maximum period allowable by the Constitution for anyone to occupy the office of the President;

•a declaration that in computing the period already spent in office as President by the defendant, the period from May 6, 2010 to May 28, 2011 should / ought to be reckoned with.

•a declaration that having spent a period of more than four years in office as President reckoned from May 6, 2010, the defendant is without competence, eligibility, authority or entitlement to contest for the same office for another term of four years;

•an order of injunction restraining the defendant from contesting, putting himself forward and or accepting to contest for the office of President at the 2015 presidential election;

•and, for such further or other relief(s) to which the plaintiffs may be found entitled by the Honourable Court in consequence of the relief(s) earlier adumbrated on the Originating Summons.

A member of the legal team, who spoke in confidence, explained why the latest suit is different from others before on the eligibility of Jonathan.

The source said: “The suit is challenging the eligibility of Mr. President to spend beyond eight years in office in the light of constitutional provision that forbids any person to stay in office beyond eight years.

“And also there is a court decision in an election petition case on Adamawa State, where it was held that no circumstances should warrant anyone to hold an elective office beyond eight years.

“In Marwa and 1 other v. Admiral Murtala Nyako and others (SC 141/2011), the court held that ‘the constitution has no room for a cumulative tenure exceeding eight years.’

“This suit is different from the previous ones challenging Mr. President because he had neither declared his intention nor was he confirmed as a presidential candidate for 2015 polls.

“Thus, the previous suits were speculative. This suit is hinged on the fact that having spent six years in office, the president is seeking another term of four years. Yet the constitution says a President can hold office for two terms of eight years.”

February 2, 2015
‘Count PDP, Jonathan out of ex-militants’ threats’

The Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibril, at the weekend, said the party and President Goodluck Jonathan have no hands in the threat being issued by ex-militants that there will be mayhem should the president failed to win the February 14 presidential election.

Jibril noted that as a supporter of Jonathan, he would not like anybody to spoil his chance, saying the trio of Alhaji Mujahideen Asari-Dokubo, Victor Ben Ebikabowei (Boy Loaf), Government Ekpudomenowei (Tompolo) were speaking for themselves.

He added that what they said did not represent the views of the Southsouth people as well.

Jibril, who spoke with The Nation at the weekend, maintained that the PDP would not support any statement that would lead to the nation’s breakup, no matter who ever made the statement.”

“I don’t think such statements are good enough to assist the President. Therefore, I regard their statements as personal and has nothing to do with PDP, because PDP will never make such statement or encourage that kind of statement.

“I call on the supporters of PDP and those working for the re-election of President Jonathan to mind what they say. They should be very careful with their utterances. We are not at war and nobody should plan to separate Nigeria. We should strive to support Goodluck Jonathan because he is a very careful and simple person.

“He will not encourage break-away and he will not encourage anarchy. He will never encourage abuse of people; he is a gentle man,” the PDP BOT secretary said.

February 2, 2015
PDP leaders oppose Mimiko’s nominee for Jonathan’s campaign

Another crisis is brewing between leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State and Governor Olusegun Mimiko, following the selection of Mr. Tokunbo Modupe as the director-general of the President Goodluck Jonathan/Namadi Sambo Campaign Committee.

Mimiko at the weekend inaugurated the committee, which is expected to begin campaign in the local governments today.

The aggrieved leaders from the old PDP camp, led by the governorship candidate in the 2012 election, Chief Olusola Oke, vowed to shun the campaigns, if the governor failed to make amends.

During Jonathan’s last week’s campaign, he said there was crisis in the party, urging Mimiko to work with Oke and Jimoh Ibrahim to ensure peace.

Oke, addressing reporters, said he and other leaders were neglected in the selection and inauguration of the committee.

He said: “The governor, despite appeals and entreaties that he should do otherwise, is behaving like a sole administrator and an emperor who sees all of us as conquered people.

“I have the mandate of a large section of our party and I speak on their behalf to reject the campaign committee as inaugurated, especially the director-general. He is unacceptable. I am not speaking alone but on behalf of members, who are desirous to see us win the election for Mr. President.

“The governor is deliberately undermining the strength of our party and the chances of President Jonathan. I wonder why anybody, who says he wants victory for the President, would want to cause problems for a party that has been positioned for victory.”

At the inauguration, the governor urged committee members to deliver the one million votes target for the party, saying he had confidence in Modupe.

Mimiko noted that members were selected by the state Chairman of the party, Mr. Clement Faboyede, enjoining them to educate their supporters to collect their permanent voter card (PVC). He described it as their electoral power to re-elect Jonathan.

February 2, 2015
Jonathan ‘ll struggle to get 25 per cent in Bayelsa, says Sylva

•President’s friend dumps PDP for APC

Former Bayelsa State Governor Chief Timpreye Sylva has said President Goodluck Jonathan will struggle to get the mandatory 25 per cent of the votes cast in his home state.

He hoped the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, would defeat Jonathan in the state.

He asked Nigerians not to cry more than the bereaved for the President because of the kind of product Jonathan is.

Sylva gave the update on the presidential election at a news conference at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja where a former Commissioner for Health under President Jonathan as governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Frank Akpoebi dumped the PDP for for the APC.

Akpoebi cited poor performance, inconsistency and disrespect for Ijaw leaders as some reasons behind his leaving the PDP and the President, who he described as a “very close friend.”

The former governor, who is aspiring for the Senate asked Nigerians to follow the footsteps of Bayelsans, who have resolved not to vote for Jonathan, saying Nigerians should not cry more than the believed.

He said: “I am happy today that APC in Bayelsa State is marching on. Chief Frank Akpoebi is a major addition to our party in Bayelsa State. We believe that with his presence in our party, we have made a quantum leap and we are closer to victory in Bayelsa State.

“Somebody came to me the other day and was asking me why are we doing this? Why are we going to make the President to be looking for 25 per cent now in his state? That is where we are getting to.

“We are getting to a point where APC presidential candidate will win overwhelmingly in Bayelsa State and President Jonathan might just be looking for 25 per cent in his home state.

“He is from Bayelsa State and we know that. Of course we also know him more than you, the product that he is, the person that he is. I am only telling Nigerians not to cry more than the bereaved.

“If we, Bayelsans, have resolved not to vote for President Jonathan, then you must look at us and you must do as we are doing.

“In the state, we have seen not much of what he has done. He has always said that he has established so many new uniiversities. Go to those states where those universities are supposed to be and tell me what infrastructure are on ground.

“Are those places designated as sites for those universities what they are very proud about?

“The one in Bayelsa State is supposed to be in Otuoke, his village. The buildings there that are being used were built by me as governor and since then, nothing has happened even in the university in his village. But he has continued to say that he has established new universities.

“I don’t believe that the problem of Nigeria is new universities. The problem of Nigeria is to make sure that the universities that have been there are functional. We have universities that are glorified secondary schools and instead of making sure that some universities become real universities, you say you are establishing so many new universities and nothing is being done in those sites.

“There are 10,000 reasons I can give you why you should not vote for President Jonathan and I am from Bayelsa.

“Today, Chief Frank Akpoebi, a great son of Bayelsa is joining our party and I want to also inform you that in a lot of senior Bayelsans are going to be defecting to the APC because they are completely dissatisfied with what is happening in the PDP and in the government of President Jonathan.

“This is only the second in the series. We are going to have a lot of senior Bayelsans talking to you and crossing over to the APC before February 14. I want to assure you that the APC is marching on and that nobody can stop anybody whose idea has come. The victory of the APC is assured”.

Speaking on the defection of Akpoebi, the ex-governor said: “I know that Chief Frank Akpoebi is a very close friend of President Jonathan. I know that for a fact. The details of what they have together, I will not know. But I know that they were very good friends. So, he is in a position to know a lot of these things that he has just mentioned.

“I know that in 1999, Chief Akpoebi was instrumental to the formation of the PDP in Bayelsa State and the appointment of Dr Goodluck Jonathan then as deputy governor and after that, they remained very close friends. I also know that when he became governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Frank Akpoebi was in his cabinet as commissioner for Health. So, I know that they have had a lot in common and he is in a position to say some of the things he has said”.

Speaking earlier, Akpoebi said President Jonathan has failed to deliver on his promises to Nigerians and the people of Bayelsa State.

He also said Jonathan was not offering good governance and listed six areas in which the President had failed the nation.

These are insecurity, corruption, unemployment, poverty, power (electricity) and the economy (Naira devaluation).

He added: “Above all, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has brought the politics of religion, tribe, North/South dichotomy and hate”.

February 2, 2015
Jonathan belongs to all parties, says Wike

Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Nyesom Wike has said President Goodluck Jonathan belongs to all political parties.

Speaking yesterday during a Special Thanksgiving Service at the Omega Power Ministries (OPM) in Port Harcourt to mark the successful hosting of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign rally at Adokiye Amesimaka Stadium, Wike said by virtue of his office, Jonathan could not be stopped from using public facilities.

He said it was un-Christianly for Governor Rotimi Amaechi to have denied Jonathan the use of the Amesimaka Stadium.

The Rivers State PDP governorship candidate noted that it was imperative that the governor was taught a lesson on decent politicking.

He said: “President Jonathan is a President of all Nigerians. He is not a President of a political party; therefore, he cannot be stopped from using a stadium built with public funds.

“There is need to de-emphasise negative politicking. We are here to thank God for the successfully hosting of President Jonathan. We express gratitude for the multitude and the fact that we recorded no casualty.”

He urged Rivers people to vote Jonathan and himself. Wike appealed to them to also vote for PDP candidates during the elections.

Wike declared that he would grant OPM their building permit and certificate of occupancy.

He said his incoming administration would sign the certificate of occupancy of all non indigenes and grant traders business grants.

Wike said he is a full time Christian with no relationship with cultism.

The General Overseer of OPM, Apostle Chibuzor, called on members and their families to pray for Wike to emerge the next governor of Rivers State.

He also asked the church to pray for Jonathan’s re-election.

February 2, 2015