An elder statesman and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark has declared that President Goodluck Jonathan will seek re-election for second term in 2015, adding that nobody can stop him from doing so because he is qualified and has performed credibly well.
Chief Clark who stated this, Friday, in Abuja while receiving a delegation of Northern Women Mass Movement for President Jonathan 2015 Ambition, an umbrella body of Northern Women in Politics, said that “four years more of Jonathan will not bring the nation to an end.
“Mr. President will definitely contest the 2015 presidential election because he is qualified and nobody has the right to stop him. Everyone who had ruled the nation spent two terms of eight years and therefore, Jonathan should be allowed to complete his eight years in office,” he said.
Clark said he was sorry for the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, which is accusing Jonathan of not doing anything for the North, adding that President has done more than enough for the north in the history of the country.
“For the first time in the history of the nation, two Inspectors General of Police from the North were appointed consecutively.
“When people who are close to Jonathan advised him to appoint someone from the South South as IGP, he said no. This is because, he is not sentimental. He appointed two Heads of Service consecutively who are from the North. He created 10 new federal universities in the Northern region.
“It is a feat that has not been achieved by anybody. He built al-majiri schools in the North, rail system has been resuscitated.
“Some people say Jonathan is parochial that he is developing his own people. We say No, those of us in the South South are even complaining”, he said.
On the abducted Chibok school girls by Boko Haram sect, Chief Clark stated that the girls will come back to join their fellow women to build a new Northern Nigeria and new nation.
He said, “if President had used force to free the girls, some of them would have died, and the same people would still shout that Jonathan has killed our girls.”
“Jonathan will contest in 2015 because of two things; one, he is qualified to do so under the law and secondly, he has performed well to the extent that those who voted him in 2011 are willing to do so again.
“Nobody has a right to stop him from contesting. Every President who has ruled this nation spent two terms. We voted for Alhaji Shehu Shagari as President in 1979 and 1983.
“Everybody in this country is created equal, no matter the tribe, gender or background as long as such a person is a Nigerian and educated,” he said.
Chief Clark while responding to remarks by the northern women group, commended them for taking the bold initiative to support Jonathan come 2015.
