Worried over the continuous threats by the national assembly members to impeach president Goodluck Jonathan, southern leaders, under the aegis of Southern Mandate have vowed to protect the office of the President.
This statement came following a statement credited to a Northern group who insisted that the president must be oust from the office. The group in a communique issued in Abuja at the end of its meeting on Thursday said it was strongly behind Mr. President whom some Northern leaders, made up of wealthy retired Army Generals, politicians and businessmen have vowed “to map out new strategies and mobilize funds to intensify a long-drawn battle to ease out of office through whatever means.” The group with representatives of various southern groups at the meeting had Tito Zuokumor, Onengiye Elekima, Victor Akpe, Ekene Nwachukwu, Zacheaus Odera, Obi Okoroma, Demola Oloruntoba, Tope Ismail and Fadairo Bamidele in attendance.
The statement reads in part: “The Southern Mandate hereby declares its resolve to protect and defend the office and the person of President Goodluck Jonathan through appropriate and legal means. Let it be noted that no individual, group or region has a monopoly of coercion, force or ability to create chaos.
“Enough of these acts of disunity, which had been the basis of persistent calls for a Sovereign National Conference to discuss the future of our dear country. It is either we decide to live peacefully or go our separate ways with a simple handshake. But we are also ready to sink the boat when push gets to shove.”
The group, made up of representatives from the three southern geopolitical zones, alleged that those behind Jonathan’s impeachment threats are the brain behind massive killings in various parts of the North, with the intention of making Nigeria ungovernable under President Jonathan.
They maintained that when their plan to impeach Mr president hit the rock, the went and mobilised members of the House of Representatives three months ago, to impeach the President, using poor implementation of 2012 budget as a case against Mr. President
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