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Jonathan meets PDP, opposition leaders tomorrow Wednesday, 13 April 2011 00:00 From John-Abba Ogbodo (Abuja) and Eno-Abasi Sunday (Calabar) News - National

Prev1 of 2NextNorth Central restates support for President

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo have continued their reach-out to political and opinion leaders in the country to get their support for the presidential election holding this Saturday.

After Jonathan’s meeting with political leaders from the North Central geo-political zone on Monday night, the participants resolved that the other five zones in the country should be brought into the new deal.

Consequently, it was resolved that the Presidency holds another interaction with all the leaders from the nation’s six zones tomorrow, an advice Jonathan reportedly accepted.

Sources at the talks held at the official residence of the Senate President David Mark, it was learnt evaluated last Saturday’s National Assembly polls and the strength of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the North.

Sources at the parley said the leaders greed that although the party did well in the North, there was room for improvement so that the PDP could convincingly win the presidential election this Saturday.

The meeting will also involve politicians from some of the opposition parties that are putting up strong showing and with whom PDP has been discussing. The meeting is expected to give the PDP leadership the picture of what to expect this Saturday.

In attendance at the last meeting were Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State and his Nasarawa State counterpart, Aliyu Akwe Doma, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Minister Bala Mohammed; FCT Senator-elect, Philip Aduda; former Information Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana; one-time Senate President Ameh Ebute; erstwhile Military Governor of old Bendel State, Tunde Ogbeha; Bala Tikaya; Senator Jonathan Zwingina; Second Republic Deputy Senate President Wash Pam, among others, who allegedly pledged to mobilise their people to vote for Jonathan this Saturday.

The meeting agreed that everything should be done in the campaigns to carry along most Nigerians, including the opposition for the victory of the President.

According to sources, the meeting had representatives from Borno, Benue, Niger, Nasarawa, Plateau, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Taraba, Kaduna, Yobe, Kwara, and Kogi states.

Jonathan allegedly appealed to the meeting not to give room to the ethnic card being dangled by some people to sway their position, stressing that Nigeria is one entity that must be preserved.

“I am optimistic that the issue of North/South dichotomy will gradually fade away; in the new Nigeria, we shall be talking about Nigeria, not ethnicity or religion, we shall focus on the economy, infrastructural development, employment and security of lives and property.

“This is my covenant with Nigerians; I promise I will not disappoint you,” he said.

A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Paul Mumeh yesterday, said both Jonathan and Sambo congratulated Mark on his victory at the senatorial poll for the fourth consecutive time, pointing out that it was a testimony of his acceptance by the people of Benue South whom he has been representing.

President Jonathan, Vice President Sambo, Governor Suswam of Benue State and his Nasarawa State counterpart, Akwe Doma, have also congratulated Mark, over his victory at the polls last Saturday.

“Specifically, President Jonathan noted that Mark’s election for the fourth time is a rare feat in our contemporary history”, saying: “I congratulate you for making history. To survive one legislative session is a herculean task and to survive it four times is a miracle. It goes to show that you are truly in touch with your people.”

Speaking when he held parley with leaders of the Middle-Belt region along with Sambo and the Senate President on Monday night in Abuja, Jonathan added that Mark’s overwhelming victory is a manifestation of his leadership qualities appreciated by his people.

He thanked the people of Benue State for electing Mark again, saying: “The Senate President is a good strategist, a mobiliser and a goal-getter whose services are needed by the nation”.

In his comment, the Vice President noted that Mark’s victory at the polls is a testimony of his peoples’ desire to have good leadership.

Like the President, Sambo enjoined the people of the Middle Belt to mobilise the electorate enmasse to vote for the PDP at the presidential election.

Welcoming Mr. President and delegates to the parley at the Apo Legislative Mansion, Mark urged the people to examine the shortcomings of last Saturday’s election and come out in large number to vote for the President on Saturday.

Mark implored PDP faithful to work as a team so that “we can win overwhelmingly and convincingly”, expressing optimism that the “party will still be in the majority.”

Mumeh also confirmed that his boss hosted the meeting “which also discussed ways of moving the nation forward.’’

To those thinking that Jonathan may go through a re-run before claiming victory in Saturday’s election, Deputy Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, says it is time to have a rethink.

According to Ndoma-Egba, in an interview in Calabar, Cross River State, the President will not have to go through the rigours of a re-run as the pendulum would definitely swing in favour of Jonathan because, “I think the President will win in the first ballot with a very clear win. Those who are hoping for a re-run will be thoroughly disappointed.”