South-South Assembly Drums Support For Jonathan

The South-South Peoples Assembly on Sunday canvassed the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in next Saturday’s presidential election.

The Acting Chairman of the Assembly, retired Air CMDR Idongesit Nkanga, made the call when the National Youth Wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, paid him a courtesy visit in Uyo.

Nkanga said that Jonathan had performed better than those who occupied the position in the past, adding that he deserves a second term to consolidate on his achievements.

He commended the Igbo for supporting Jonathan, noting that they had remained a support base for the president since 2011.

Nkanga singled out the convocation of a national conference among Jonathan’s achievements, saying it would address the fundamental problems of the country when the report is implemented.

“It is very important for the people of Southern Nigeria to put aside politics, grievances and unanimously vote for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan because of the gains of the national conference when implemented.

“When Jonathan is re-elected, he will among many other things ensure the implementation of the recommendations of the National Conference, ” Nkanga said.

Nkanga, a former Military Administrator of Akwa Ibom and currently Director General of the Udom/Moses Campaign Organisation, said the APC was never in support of the convocation of a National Conference.

“Retired Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has already given the signal that he will not work with the conference recommendations and we of the southern extraction are those who will continue to suffer the fundamental imbalance in Nigeria, ” he said.

While commending Ohanaze Ndigbo for unanimously endorsing Jonathan’s re-election bid, he urged other ethnic groups in the South to massively vote for PDP.

Earlier, the National President of the youth wing, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, had said said that the delegation was in Akwa Ibom to endorse Udom, the PDP gubernatorial candidate in the state.

He urged Gov. Godswill Akpabio and PDP in the state to disregard reports in some quarters suggesting that Ohanaeze Ndigbo had endorsed APC in the state, adding that it was the handiwork of mischief makers.

Isiguzoro said that the national body was aware of the cordial relationship existing between the Igbo community and Akpabio, adding that Udom would sustain the tempo.

“The Igbo are peace loving people who believe in the progress of any environment they are doing their business.

“ We consider political parties that have policies which will favour the Igbo wherever they reside.

“We have been briefed on how Gov. Godswill Akpabio’s policies have favoured the Igbo residing in Akwa Ibom and we decided to ask them to support Udom who is of the PDP, ” he said.

While commending Akpabio and his wife, Unoma, for their kind gesture to Igbo residing in Akwa Ibom, Isiguzoro urged members of the ethnic group to ensure they collected their PVCs so as to vote for PDP in all the elections.