A group under the aegis of Ebonyi Youth Assembly, EYA, in Ebonyi State has called on Nigerians to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term ambition, come 2015.
This came after a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Abuja declared Jonathan eligible for the election.
The National President of EYA, Comrade Chinedu Ogar who announced this while addressing newsmen in Abuja, noted that it was high time Nigerians joined the Goodluck/Sambo Transformation train.
It would be recalled that the court had struck out the suit filed by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Cyriacus Njoku which sought to stop Jonathan from the 2015 race.
Comrade Ogar said that after reviewing the transformation agenda of Jonathan’s Administration, the group unanimously agreed that Jonathan needs another term to complete the good work he has started.
He said “we are not interested in any secret deal with any group of people; we are aware that Jonathan is President of Nigeria and Nigerians and not of a clandestine group of governors or power brokers. The mandate he holds belongs to Nigerians”.
According to him, several youth in Ebonyi State have been employed in Federal Government Agencies while many others are also benefiting from the SURE-P projects, a unemployment intervention programme initiated by the Goodluck/ Sambo administration.
His words, “This is the first time Nigeria is witnessing balanced development in all the six geographical zones. This is also the first time that Federal Character principle is bing upheld in appointment to federal Civil Service. In terms of job creation, about 300 youths of Ebonyi have been given appointment in government service while a good number of them have been empowered through the SURE- P Programme of FG,” he said.
Speaking on project execution, the group leader said the youth are convinced that the South East has benefited from the administration, citing the example of the recent award of the building of the Second Niger Bridge to Julius Berger Construction Company as well as other road projects in progress within the region.
After an extra-ordinary General Meeting of the Assembly, held at Rockview Hotel in Abuja, on the issue of Jonathan’s eligibility to contest in 2015, top officials of the group regretted that even though the court had put to rest the issue of eligibility, “certain elements from the Northern part of the country, including Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, have since introduced a new dimension to it, saying that Jonathan signed a secret agreement to do a single tenure
“This matter is very simple; the court has settled that Jonathan is still in his first term of four years in office as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and therefore is immensely qualified to re-contest in 2015.
“The judiciary has restated the freedom and right of every Nigerian to seek any office under the constitution. We urge Nigerians to continue to resist all attempts by desperate politicians to truncate the system through the distortion of the facts of law.
Ogar said that the ball is now in the court of the PDP as a party and Nigerians, to decide, through legitimate processes, whether or not to return President Jonathan to the Presidency in 2015 if he indicates interest.
The Ebonyi youth leader further questioned why the former Head of State, Major General Muhammed Buhari’s should claim to be an apposite of democracy when indeed, he was the one who cut short a civilian administration of Shehu Aliyu Shagari in 1983 through a coup.
“Sometime in 2010, we were the first to mobilize our people as a state, to publicly; in a mass rally in Abakaliki township stadium, adopt His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as the candidate of the state for the 2011 Presidential election.
“We are surprised that mid-way into his first tenure as President, all manners of issues are being raised over the eligibility or otherwise of President Jonathan to seek re-election.
“In view of the issue in question, we are proud to state categorically that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is constitutionally qualified as a Nigerian to seek re-election in 2015, ” he said.
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