PDP govs commend Jonathan

Speaking with State House Correspondents after the governors met with Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, said the PDP remains the party that has maintained peace and refrained from violence in spite of anomalies witnessed during the election.

According to Akpabio, the PDP remains undaunted, the party would record victory in the gubernatorial election scheduled for April 11.

Akpabio said: “As governors, we came to show solidarity with our president and to commend him for being a statesman.

“He (Jonathan) has done something no African leader has done in such a flawed exercise, with under-aged voters everywhere, and disparity between states.

“Some using card readers, some failed card readers, some using manual and some states not using manual and some just taking ballot papers to government houses, particularly in certain parts of the country.

“It was a very flawed exercise; yet he looked at it and said in spite of it all I want to ensure peace, unity and stability of the country, let me give opportunity to the APC presidential candidate to come in and then give his own to the country”

“That kind of sacrificial stand by a president can only come from a PDP president and that is why we are very proud of what has happened,” Akpabio said.

The meeting with the governors came shortly after former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, received his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as winner of the March 28 presidential election.

Jonathan, who was defeated by Buhari in the election, had congratulated the former Head of State on his victory at the poll.

The PDP governors who met with Jonathan yesterday at the Presidential Villa included Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Theodore Orji (Abia); Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Liyel Imoke (Cross River).

Also at the meeting were Idris Wada (Kogi); Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); Martin Elechi (Ebonyi); Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe); Murktar Yero (Kaduna); Jonah Jang (Plateau); Sullivan Chime (Enugu).

Some ministers, who also met with the President were Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (Agriculture); Ibrahim Shekarau (Education); Musiliu Obanikoro (State, Foreign Affairs II); Professor Viola Onwuliri (State, Education); Mohammed Adoke (Attorney General); Abba Moro (Interior); Aminu Wali (Foreign Affairs) and Suleiman Abubakar (National Planning).

A group of female ministers were also at the Presidential Villa, they included Zainab Maina (Women Affairs); Omobola Johnson (Communication Technology); Sarah Ochekpe (Water Resources); Laraba Mallam (Environment); Akon Eyakenyi (Land and Housing).