President Goodluck Jonathan has accepted to engage his main opponent for the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, in a political debate.
Though he said this must be done at the instance of the party, he said he expected that the party’s flag bearer and other candidates will debate on issues based on manifestos rather than challenging each other as if to a wrestling competition.
Mr. Jonathan’s 2011 political ambition took a step forward when he was yesterday unanimously endorsed by South-South delegates to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention during a meeting between the president and the south-south delegates in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
The delegates from the six states of the region openly endorsed the Jonathan/Sambo ticket as the best ticket. While thanking delegates for their support, Mr. Jonathan said he was ready to take up the challenge of his main opponent whenever the party deems it fit for them to meet.
“I am waiting for the party to invite me for presidential debate,” he said..
The president also assured the people of the region that he will do his best not to let them down, noting that whatever he does while in office will rub off positively or negatively on the people from the south-south region.
He further noted that he will ensure that he does nothing that will jeorpardise the chances of others from the region in the nearest future.
“If I mess up, the people will reject us (zone) completely, and this is why I have to do everything possible to ensure that we do well as a government,” he said.
Working for progress
He reassured the people that come March next year, the country will enjoy relative power stability, as all the efforts put in by the administration should have yielded tons of fruits.
The president said after considering the other aspirants from the party, he is convinced that he and his vice president present the best that will lead the nation out of the woods.
“That is why our administration is assuring Nigerians that if given another four years, we would try and make the country better,” he said.
Mr. Jonathan, who had earlier met with the chairman of Rivers State traditional ruler, King TJT Princewill JP Amachree, Amanyanbo of Kalabari Kingdom, also reiterated his plan to send to the National Assembly a bill that will recognise the traditional institutions in the country.
This he said he will do early next year. He asked the traditional rulers to contribute towards the bill when the National Assembly commences public debate on the it.
The president, who also reacted on the Jos killings, said the situation is a national embarrassment, adding that terrorism has become a global plague which the government is working hard to tackle and make a thing of the past.
