2015: Niger Delta Youths to pick N22m forms for Jonathan

AHEAD of the formal declaration of President Goodluck Jonathan for his second term bid, a group under the aegis, the Niger Delta Youth for Jonathan, yesterday submitted a letter to the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, intimating him of their readiness to storm the party’s national Secretariat on Wednesday next week and pick the President’s Expression of interest and nomination forms.

According to the group, President Goodluck was not aware that they were coming to PDP National Secretatiat on Wednesday to pick the expression of interest form for N2 million and Nomination form for N20 million, totally N22 million.

President Jonathan

Led by Prince Ebile Dudu, in the letter, the group said, “We the Niger Delta Youth for Jonathan and our sister groups in the five geo-political zones, wish to appreciate your singular and collective support of the National Executive Committee of our great party, Peoples Democratic Party, towards the continuation of the Transformation Agenda of Mr. President, 2015.

“We want to purchase the Expression of Interest form and Nomination form for Mr. President, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, at the National Headquarters of our great party, PDP on Wednesday 22nd October, 2014.”

Explaining the decision to pick the forms on behalf of the president, Mr. Benjamin Egbunike, who is the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the group, told Journalists at the party secretariat that Jonathan was however unaware of the group’s intention to purchase the forms, adding, “We are purchasing the forms for him and we are doing that in the spirit of demonstration that we are solidly behind the president and to also encourage him that he should not be deterred, neither should he be doubtful of the general popularity he has in this country. “

It would be recalled that the National Executive Committee, NEC of PDP at the end of its 66 th meeting held on 18 th September at the NEC hall of the party’s national secretariat endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole Candidate of the party for the February, 2015 Presidential election   ahead of the   National Convention fixed for December 6 where it would be ratified at Eagle Square, Abuja.

Also yesterday at the Party’s National Secretariat, the Majority Leader of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Okpolupm Etteh, picked his expression of Interest and nomination forms to contest the Akwa Ibom State Governorship election,   promising   to turn the state into what he termed, an industrial haven if elected as governor.

Speaking with Journalists after picking his forms, Etteh who also vowed   to bring more progress, growth and prosperity to the people, said that under his administration, industrialisation would be deepened in Akwa Ibom State while it would turn the grassroot into a strong vehicle of economic growth and build human capacity through agriculture and rural development.

The aspirant was represented by the Director-General of his campaign organisation, Hon. Ekere Affia.

Also speaking after collecting his forms, Sir Friday Nwosu, who wants to be the governor of Abia State, said he would run an inclusive government if given the opportunity to serve, just as he stressed that had made a covenant with God to punish him if his heart was found to be with deceit, but on the other hand, make him the next governor of the state if he was found to be with genuine intentions.

Nwosu who noted   that he would engender a “serious ethical re-orientation” in Abia State people in order to make those who he said we’re lazy to turn away from indolence, said   that while his administration would flush out miscreants, it would pursue functional and qualitative education where scholarship would be awarded to deserving students, adding that he would create one single local government, Ohaneze Local Government, in the state to accommodate Igbo people from other states to give them a sense of belonging.

Also at PDP National Secretariat yesterday to collect their forms were Col. Isa Kontagora (rtd), vying for the governorship seat of Niger State and Hon. Valentine Anyika, who wants to re-contest his present seat of Njikoka/Dunukofia!Anocha Federal Constituency of Anambra State.