Kano women groups, Benue North-East back Jonathan’s re-election bid

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid has received further boost as the people of Benue North-East Senatorial District have pledged an overwhelming victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.

Similarly, women professional groups, including over 100 farmer-groups in Kano State have endorsed President Jonathan, describing his administration as the most women-friendly that Nigeria has ever had.

At the gathering convened recently by the Adviser to the President on National Schools Agricultural Programme, Baraka Sani, Sani assured Jonathan of total and undiluted support for his re-election bid.

She declared that no amount of intimidation or harassment could deter them from supporting his candidature, adding: “All we know is that Mr. President has done a lot in the development of the northern part of the country in particular and the country in general. So, there is nothing somebody can tell us to make us shift ground in what we believe in.”

Sani said she was convinced that Jonathan would get over 25 per cent votes in Kano because, “since we came to realize and understand the good work done in areas of health, agriculture, economy, service delivery and the social aspect of our people, our great party will reach the promised land.

“No government was modest and humble enough to take the issue of our almajiri system seriously, but President Jonathan has established almajiri schools across some states in the north. This is a good achievement as far as taking care of our delinquent children is concerned.”

According to her, Jonathan’s concern with the welfare and development of all sections of the country warrants that all Nigerians should rally behind him in the forthcoming election.

Among the participants were women farmers, widows of policemen, students from Kano and Jigawa states, artisans and other community-based associations.

Meanwhile, the state coordinator of Jonathan/Sambo re-election campaign, Dr. Samuel Odeh, reminded grassroots stakeholders during a town hall meeting at Katsina-Ala at the weekend that Jonathan’s giant strides in the state have had direct bearing on their lives.

He stressed that the PDP has was moving its campaign to the remote areas of the state so as to make the people see reasons for the president’s re-election, hopeful that the party would get a landslide victory at the forthcoming elections.

Also speaking, the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, appreciated Jonathan’s efforts at reconstructing the country in the past couple of years, noting that with such visible efforts, Nigerians cannot afford to entrust the leadership of the country to another.

He regretted the defection of some PDP members to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as unfortunate and adding that such people are not true progressive change agents.