PDP governors, Reps declare support for President Jonathan

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Tuesday, expressed the loyalty and support of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governors to President Goodluck Jonathan, should he decide to seek re-election in 2015.
Mr. Akpabio, who is the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, spoke to State House correspondents at the end of a meeting of the forum members with Mr. Jonathan.
The governors’ meeting with the president coincided with a similar one between him and members of the PDP caucus in the House of Representatives.
The party lawmakers had passed a vote of confidence on the resident and endorsed him for second term.
Other governors present at the meeting were those of Benue, Bayelsa, Enugu, Abia, Jigawa, Ebonyi, Delta, Kogi, Kebbi, Gombe, Bauchi, Katsina, and the deputy governor of Sokoto.
“Members of the PDP Governor’s Forum were present when the NASS Caucus declared their support for the president.
“I do not want to pre-empt the action of PDP Governors, but I can attest to their loyalty and their commitment to the success of Mr President come 2015.’’
Mr. Akpabio said the meeting, also attended by members of the National Working Committee of the party led by the National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, discussed how to deepen internal democracy.
He added that it was also held to strategise on how best they could serve the masses to retain their love and vote for the PDP in 2015.
“We meet with the president based on the fact that in the next few months, we shall be going into major primaries, so we want to deepen internal democracy.
“We want to strategise on how best we can hold primaries free from rancour and by implication also ensure that we bring out the best candidates.
“Taking a cue from what had happened in Ekiti, if we are able to carry out proper internal democracy, then the main election will be less rancorous.
“At the end the party will sail through with a view to getting up two-thirds of the states of the federation as it was when we started in 1999.’’
He said the meeting also commended Mr. Jonathan for his strides in governance, particularly in the education sector.
“The Jonathan government has built over 150 Almajiri schools and he is trying to tackle the insecurity in the northern part of Nigeria using education.
“He is the first Nigerian president to establish up to 10 federal universities at a go which is highly commendable.
“We equally commend his giant strides in the power sector and other areas.
“We believe that our performance will still endear us to Nigerians and that is what we looking forward to.
“Politics is all about democracy dividends, not about propaganda, so those who want to do propaganda can do so,” he added.
(NAN)