….Promise to rally support for Buhari
LAGOS JANUARY 29TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The Itsekiri nation, under the aegis of a socio-political group, Itsekiri Legacy Rebirth (ILR), has vowed to work against President Goodluck Jonathan in the February general elections even as they promised to rally support for the aspirations of the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer, Mohammadu Buhari.
Describing President Jonathan as a “promise breaker” who doesn’t deserve their votes, the group led by Dr. Alex Ideh, said President Jonathan’s cancellation of the inauguration of the ground-breaking ceremony of the Ogidigben Export Processing Zone (EPZ) last November was a “big disappointment” to millions of Nigerians, not just Itsekiri people or Deltans, and a failure of the Jonathan’s administration.
The group said President Jonathan had failed to keep his promises, stressing that besides this, it does not see him as one with capacity to lead Nigeria right.
According to Ideh, it was his duty to enlighten Itsekiri people to vote against Jonathan, maintaining that their people’s votes would to the APC .
“My position has always been very clear about this; Itsekiri will do APC this time around, very certain about that, Itsekiri will do APC, so if you see many of our members being APC, it’s just coincidence.”
“I don’t see this president as someone who has capacity, I think Buhari will do a better job, I have said so times without number without mincing words and it’s in my place to guide my people and guide them right.”
“The several postponement of the EPZ groundbreaking ceremony is one of the reasons we say the president does not keep his words. This is a president who promised in the presence of millions of Nigerians that he’s coming to do the ground breaking.”
“He broke his promise, not only to Itsekiri, but to the people of Delta state and to the whole of Nigeria, the whole of Nigeria would have benefitted from that project. Slowing it down was not the best and there was no reason for him to have done that,” Ideh declared during a courtesy visit to the palace of Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II, to present some of its members contesting for political offices in next month’s elections.
According to Ideh, “we have come to showcase our members; members of Itsekiri Legacy Rebirth, who are vying for positions in the coming elections. That is what we have come to do. His Majesty was very satisfied that we have presented to him credible Itsekiri young men who are running for offices.”
The group ‘s declaration came few days after President Jonathan’s weekend visit to the Olu of Warri to seek his blessing for his re-election bid and promising to fast-track the inauguration of the Ogidigben EPZ project.
In another developmeny, The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) has denied report of Jonathan’s endorsement by by the pan Urhobo group, the Afenefere, saying it is not a party to the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid as misrepresented in different media reports.
In a press statement signed by its publicity secretary, Kunle Famoriyo, the group described the use of its insignia to promote the said endorsement as fraudulent and an attempt to deceive Yoruba people.
“It has come to our notice that some broadcast stations are using ARG’s name and logo to promote the said endorsement. This is fraudulent and we wish to advise media houses to be wary of such fraudulent promoters especially now that public interest must be defended by the media,” the statement said.
“The ARG is not a party to the endorsement and does not in fact think the performance of President Goodluck Jonathan since May 2010 is worth the endorsement of any patriotic citizen. We believe there is a difference between ‘transformation,’ which President Jonathan promised Nigerians in 2011 and mere ‘reform’ of the same governance culture that Nigerians have rejected.
“The ARG does not dictate to the generality of the Yoruba people, rather it gives voice to their feelings and aspirations. The extensive consultations we have made showed that Yoruba people have come to a firm conclusion that they have been at the shorter end of the stick under the Jonathan-led Government, under whose administration, nepotism and ethnocentrism have taken over as the emblem of our presidential politics,” the group stated.
It further stressed that it would remain committed to the aspirations of Yoruba people for change.
The Afenifere Renewal Group also echoed a statement in Abeokuta recently at a public lecture organised by the Ogun State chapter of ARG, that the change demanded was a public pledge to restructure the country in such a way that power would devolve to the most efficient federating unit.
CHANNELSTV & THEWILL