By Oghenekevwe Laba
LAGOS SEPTEMBER 20th (URHOBOTODAY)-As the controversy over the second term bid of President Goodluck Jonathan continue to generate debate in the polity, Commissioner representing Ughelli North and Ethiope-East Local Government Area of Delta State in the Board of Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Hon (Chief) Chris Obiuwevbi Ominimini has insisted that the President has no choice but to context for second term in 2015 for the office of the President of Nigeria.
Before now, there have been argument in several quarters either for President Jonathan to context for second term or not. While some school of thought who are favourable for the President contesting for second term saw no reasons why he should not contest because he is serving his first term in office while the constitution is clear on the issue that the President is entitled for second term, others opposed to the President second term felt he had got enough share of the office of the Presidency and as such he should step down for another candidate.
Ominimini who is sharing the same opinion with the propagators of second term for President Goodluck Jonathan is however of the opinion that the President do not have any choice of his own on the issue but to contest for second term because he is still on his second term in office and he must go for second term to complete the errand sent him by the South-South and Niger Delta people.
Speaking to group of news men while receiving an award as “Most Accessible Public Office Holder in the South-South Region” bestowed on him by a group under the aegis of South-South Youth Assembly (SSYA) on Tuesday at Ughelli, Delta State, said the constitution is very clear on the issue that a Nigerian President is legible to context for second term, adding that for the fact President Goodluck Jonathan has only contested ones, therefore he is free to contest for second term.
He maintained that it is only the President who can stop himself from not contesting for the highest office in Nigeria.
According to the DESOPADEC Boss, “Nigeria constitution is very clear on the issue. A president is legible to context two times. President Goodluck Jonathan has contested only ones and therefore he is free to contest for the second time. The only person who can stop President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting for second tenure is himself. That is if he decides that he is not running again.”
He argued that President Goodluck Jonathan has no choice but to run for the office of the President for second term because he is in there for an errand representing the interest of the people of South-South and Niger-Delta region.
“I am calling on President Goodluck Jonathan that he has no choice but to run for second term. He is there for an errand for the South-South and Niger-Delta people. We have no other candidate. We sent him to the presidency to represent us for eight years and he has not even completed his first year tenure.
“We are calling on South-South indigenes that anybody who is being used by any Northern leader or any leader from anywhere to disrupt the ambition of Goodluck Jonathan should have a rethink. Having said this, I will call on all the Niger-Delta people and we will organize a well spread rally to send signal to all political distracters of Jonathan that he is not there for himself but to represent the South-South and the entire people of Niger-Delta,” Ominimini disclosed.
Thanking the executive of South-South Youth Assembly (SSYA) who presented the award to him , the DESOPADEC Commissioner said what the group has done is to prove to the world that it is good to be accessible, adding that the dividend of a public office and public service holder accessibility.
“If a public officer is not accessible, the dividend accruing to his office will be cut shut. And again you have encouraged me to open my door to the people than it used to be. Another child is born today. By the grace of God, the entire Niger-Delta and South-South region will reap from the fruit of the labour you have just cultivated today.
“I have just gone through the internet to look at the contribution of this group to see whether this group has been existing. The internet proves them right. For example when men were men and women were won by those who deserve them, South-South Youth Assembly was able to prove their point. For example, when Late President Musa Yar’Adua was sick, the group made a pronouncement. When people were attacking Akpabio, the group was also there to add their voice,” he affirmed.