Prominent political leaders from the Middle Belt have assured President of massive support of people in the region should he decide to contest the 2015 Presidential election.
Former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana and Plateau state Governor, Jonah Jang gave this indication after a meeting of a delegation of elders from the region with President Jonathan.
Gana and Jang, who spoke on behalf of the Middle Belt elders, however, noted that the group will not rush to openly declare support for the President but will rather wait till he discloses his intention.
Speaking to State House Correspondents after the meeting, Gana said: “This session was designed for exchange of ideas in an interactive session with Mr President. We brought leaders from 14 states in the middle belt of Nigeria. We are very delighted and honored that the delegation was led by the former governor of Plateau state, Chief Solomon Lar.
“Essentially, we came to see Mr. President to appreciate what he has been able to do so far as contained in his mid-term report.”
He continued: “We appreciated the area of achievement and we also pointed out areas that needed further attention so that their completion will give tremendous credibility to this government and also help those of us who are supporting the government from the part of the Middle Belt the credibility to speak about government. So it was a very frank exchange, appreciation and also areas to be given attention.
“The interactive session pointed out a number of problems at stake, particularly the security challenges, so many people have lost their lives, property and suffered tremendously and we are expecting that the government through the processes already in place would ensure fair and just compensation where appropriate. We pointed out areas of economic empowerment in the middle belt like the completion of key projects, like the Ajaokuta Steel Company and a number of very vital dams.”
On whether the group is in support of the President’s 2015 ambition, he said: ” When we get to the bridge, we will cross it. When the President declares, he will have our support. We have done that before and we shall do it again.””
Speaking in the same vein, Jang who is a factional leader of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) said the South South Forum led by Edwin Clark had the right to lead the clamour because that is the President’s region.
” South South forum is the zone of the President, so if they have started making the noise it is good, because it is their President, ours is to support for the good of Nigeria. But you don’t start shouting before the man says this is where I am going. So when he talks, we will follow. Suppose he says he doesn’t want to go, so allow the man to talk . So when he talks, if people are supporting him, we shall come out to support him.”
Others at the meeting include former Governor of Plateau, Chief Solomon Lar, Joshua Chibi Dariye, former Deputy Senate President, Iro Nasiru Mantu, first female Speaker in Nigeria, Mrs Margaret Icheen, Special Adviser to the President on Ethics, Mrs Srah Jubril, former governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame, Jonathan Zwingina, Mr John Darah, Hon. Jonathan Asake, Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha
former Kogi Deputy Governor, Philip Salawu and Senator Ibrahim Mantu
