NIGERIANS IN CANADA LAUNCH CAMPAIGN FOR JONATHAN

By NBF News

THE African Liberation Party (ALP) at the weekend adopted President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2011 general elections.

Rising from its national convention which was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), National Chairman of the party, Emmanuel Okereke, said the decision to adopt Jonathan as the party's presidential candidate was borne out of the desire to support the President in his vision to move the nation forward.

He said the party would present candidates for the governorship, National Assembly and state Assembly elections in all the states of the federation.

'It is time to remove sentiments, tribalism and religion and support somebody that can move the nation to the next level. We need one man, one vote. It is time to support a leader that is determined to ensure that we have credible, free and fair elections in Nigeria.

'Having looked around, we found President Jonathan as the man that is capable and the most qualified to bring the necessary development in the country.

'The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has a fraudulent constitution and we know there are moves by some individuals to use the courts to disqualify President Jonathan based on Section 7 (2) © of the PDP constitution, which supports zoning. The African Liberation Party will give him our platform to run as our presidential candidate', Okereke said.

Meanwhile, some Nigerians living in Canada have launched what they described as an aggressive campaign for President Jonathan for the April polls. The group, which goes by the name Goodluck Namadi Global Group (GNGG) at the weekend, said it would soon begin intense online campaign to get Nigerians at home to vote for Jonathan and Namadi Sambo during the presidential election.

A statement from Toronto, Canada and made available to The Guardian noted: 'In anticipation to the outcome of the PDP Convention at Eagles Square in Abuja, the GNGG campaign committee pioneered by Youth For Better Nigeria (YFBN), met in Toronto. The purpose was to have a head-count of volunteers willing, able and ready to launch a campaign, in the event the Jonathan Sambo ticket became successful. As widely expected, the ticket was convincingly nominated in the PDP presidential primary'.