2011: JONATHAN PRESIDENCY NOT IJAW AGENDA – SYLVA

Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State has declared that drafting President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2011 presidential elections is not an Ijaw agenda. According to him, the Ijaws need the cooperation of other ethnic groups in Nigeria to make it a reality as they cannot actualize the project alone.

Sylva who stated this when he was speaking to a cross-section of Ijaw National Congress (INC) and Ohanaeze Ndigbo leaders who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Yenagoa, expressed satisfaction with the commitment shown by the two groups to ensure that Jonathan contests and wins the 2011 elections.

Though he noted that Jonathan was yet to declare his interest, he said the will of God and that of Nigerians would prevail on Jonathan to contest.

He assured that he would seek the cooperation of other groups in the country to galvanize support for Jonathan to contest and win the 2011 presidential elections. Drawing references from the story of Saul who was chosen by God from the insignificant tribe of Benjamin to be made King of Israel, Sylva explained that whenever God wanted to salvage a people from hardship, he would choose people from unexpected quarters to carry out his mission.

He described as timely the decision of the Igbos to join hands with their Ijaw neighbours to salvage this country from the problems militating against its development, adding that the co-operation of the two groups dates back in history to when the Eastern Union Mandate was formed.

In his remarks, the President of the INC, Dr. Atuboyedia Obianime, said the two groups were meeting to forge a common front in the 2011 elections.

President-General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue, commended the Ijaw people for their conduct, which, according to him, reflected the quality and rectitude of the Izon people.