Date Published: 05/20/10

Group backs Jonathan on 2011

CIVIL society group, Grassroots Initiative for Peace and Democracy(GIPD), says there is nothing wrong if President Goodluck Jonathan so decides to run for the 2011 presidential election. The group is therefore advising the president not to allow distraction.

GIPD also condemned what it called the ''unleashing of avoidable hardship on the masses of Rivers people '' during the weekend's visit of  the President by the state government by over use of  state security pparatuses  and the blocking of several roads in Port Harcourt and environs

Mr. Akinaka Richards, its executive director,while reacting to the rumbles in the polity  following the apprehensions in some quarters that Jonathan would run for president in 2011,  told AkanimoReports on Thursday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, that Jonathan should be cautious over the issue and not allow praise singers and  self-seeking political jobers to confuse him and derail him.

Richards who noted that technically speaking , Goodluck Jonathan's current presidency is the only legitimate presidency in the history of the country as it was the only presidency that had been backed by preponderant population of the country which resisted the intrigues and  vicious political  scheming s  that tried to torpedo Jonathans ascendancy in the presidency until the death of former President Umaru Yar'Adua.

''Goodluck Jonathan should therefore not squander this support , goodwill and solidarity  of the people by pandering the antics of cheer leaders and political profeiteers, but rather conentrate on implementing critical aspects of the administration's 7-point agenda''.

Richard said that the president should endeavour to pursue the power and energy policy , the Niger Delta question as well as the issue of Electoral Reforms to their logical conclusion as the only way to consolidate the confidence he had gained from the people and get their support to run for president in 2011.

''I am not against the president running in 2011. All I am saying is that he should be able to avoid distractions and render the services that would make the support of the people a faite accompli when if he enters the race , by implementing most of these programmes that are dear to the people and which I mentioned earlier,'' Richard advised

He condemned as aspect of the reception of  the president on Friday and Saturday by the Rivers state government ,saying, ''because of the over zealousness of some state and security officials , a lot of people , youths, women groups and personalities that wanted to solid-arise withe their president, were prevented from doing so''.

''This is the first time , a Niger Delta man is becoming the president in spite of  the peoples historical struggle. you can then imagine their excitement as you can see from the crowd that were at the venue of the reception, but they were  frustrated from coming out in full due unnecessary blockage of many roads even five hours before the president entered Port Harcourt'', he said.

Most access roads to the port Harcourt city were blocked  , forcing Port Harcourt residents and business community to two days of treckking for long distances to and from their homes.