(http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2618253/ForumPhotos/Goodluck%20Jonathan.jpg)PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan took his message of hope, push for credible elections, and peaceful co-existence among the various ethnic and religious groups to Plateau and Benue states.
In Jos, the Plateau State capital, the President said as a firm believer of the new perspective of politics, which places premium on the well- being of the people and equal opportunity for all, including his worst critics, he had no enemies to fight in any part of the country.
When he arrived in Makurdi, Benue State, after the Jos presidential rally, Jonathan said nobody, including himself, would be allowed to rig the next polls. He told the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters at the event that every vote would count at the April general elections.
Jonathan said: "Even though I am contesting, nobody must manipulate any vote in my favour. That is why I am working hard to convince Nigerians. I am not in politics because I want to be the richest Nigerian, I don't need it. We will have a robust plan to fund our projects to ensure they are completed," he said.
The President said that the administration is working to ensure transparent elections, pointing out that "any candidate who is not good enough should be voted out by the electorate."
The difference in political ideology, the President added, had nothing to do with his relationship with his political opponents and urged all Nigerians to join him in building a new and prosperous nation.
Jonathan assured women that his administration would honour the 35 per cent "affirmative slots" for them in ambassadorial and ministerial offices.
Also yesterday, the Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organisation accused the Northern Political Leaders Forum led by Malam Adamu Ciroma of insincerity over the issue of a northern consensus presidential candidate.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the organisation said that its position was based on the fact that the northern leaders had brushed aside the presidential aspiration of Ribadu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and that of his Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) counterpart, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who are from the region.
The campaign team said: "Though the organisation recognises the fact that the northern elders were actually looking for a candidate under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), they had all along created the impression that they were looking for someone who would represent the interest of the entire North and not that of a section of the region. In the light of the forgoing, the organisation wondered why the elders' forum would not back another northerner other than Atiku Abubakar if they were really out to protect the interest of the zone.
With this development, it was likely that the northern elders were actually looking for someone who would protect their own interest and not that of the North".
The President said he and his deputy, Namadi Sambo, have no enemy both within and outside the country's political circle.
"Two of us don't have enemies to fight. We can be criticised based on what is going on in political circle but it has nothing to do with the way we relate with people be it our political opponents or anybody else."
He told Nigerian women that if elected, 35 per cent of ministerial and ambassadorial positions would be given to them, adding that if South Africa can give 50 per cent of its positions to women and Rwanda giving even more, nothing stops Nigeria from allocating 35 per cent of its ministerial and ambassadorial postings to women in the country.
Jonathan pointed out that he and his deputy would work with the party leadership for the actualisation of this if the women give the PDP full support in the coming elections.
He said power supply was improving and stabilising and assured that before the end of the first quarter of this year, electricity supply would stabilise to an appreciable level.
The President, who said the Federal Government was aware of the security challenges in Plateau State, promised that lasting peace would soon be restored in the state.
Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State assured the President that he would receive more votes than himself in the coming elections because the people believe in him.
The rally was attended by the pioneer national chairman of the PDP, Chief Solomon Lar, Senators Ishaya Balat, Sati Gogwim, Da Bulus Dareng, officials of the PDP at the national level and many others.
The President, who arrived in Jos at 6.30 p.m. on Wednesday, was received by Jang, his wife, Talatu, and senior government functionaries. He was treated to traditional and cultural entertainments at the airport before he proceeded to the palace of Gbong Gwon Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, where he said his administration was committed to poverty alleviation.
The Gbong Gwom Jos thanked the President for showing interest in the state and the traditional institution.
Earlier, Senate President David Mark stated that the state supports Jonathan because of his maturity in tackling the crisis that affected the nation during the days when the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was ill.
In his address, Governor Gabriel Suswam appealed to the President to patronise the state by appointing three ministers during his administration, one of which must be Minister of Agriculture.
According to the Ribadu team, the ACN standardbearer as an anti-corruption crusader is a credible candidate, who has served the nation meritoriously for 25 years. "He has also proved his mettle as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) when he was entrusted with the responsibility of dealing with the crime in the country."
Director, Media and Communications of Ribadu group, Ibrahim Modibbo, in a statement made available to The Guardian said no one brings to the table the 25 years of experience in public service that Ribadu has. He was responding to the assertion by an opposing group that said "Ribadu is not ripe for presidency."
"Ribadu is the only candidate with vast experience in public service," Modibbo said. "He saw the corruption there and spent his entire life fighting it, both as a law officer and a lawyer.
He asked Nigerians to vote for competence, and not sentiments, "because sentiments won't put food on our tables."
Members of the ACN in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, made processions in Wadata and North Bank denouncing the actions of security agencies, who prevented them from having their rallies alongside with the PDP yesterday.
In several spots, security agents and soldiers manhandled ACN members, injuring several of them in the process in Makurdi. The conflicts could not degenerate as some political leaders intervened to stop the ACN supporters from reacting.
Source: Don't manipulate votes in my favour, says Jonathan (http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=38985:dont-manipulate-votes-in-my-favour-says-jonathan&catid=1:national&Itemid=559)