A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress(APC) has warned President Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to stay away from the Niger Delta region ahead of the 2015 general elections.
Rivers State Interim Chairman of the party, Dr. Ikanya Davies, said in a statement Thursday that it was necessary for the President to avoid campaigning in the oil rich region since his kinsmen had rejected him for disappointing them.
He noted that the President and the PDP had no moral right to campaign for re-election in the Niger Delta due to their alleged neglect of the region.
According to the statement, “Even though they lack shame, President Jonathan and PDP should for once respect themselves and stay away from the Niger Delta since even his kinsmen in Bayelsa State have rejected him for disappointing them.
“This fact was made clear by the immediate past Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, who during his solidarity visit to Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, declared that most Bayelsans were frustrated with the Jonathan administration and want change even though the President is from the state.
“As Chief Sylva rightly said, Jonathan’s Presidency has brought nothing but shame and opened cracks in the unity of the people of the South-South geo-political zone.
“Certainly, President Jonathan and the PDP have lost every moral right to come and ask the people of the Niger Delta for their votes in 2015 considering the wickedness they have exhibited towards the people of the region.”
Reacting, the State PDP Secretary, Chief Walter Ibibia, explained that contrary to the position of the APC, President Jonathan and the PDP had done well for the people of Niger Delta and Nigeria in general.
Ibibia explained that apart from achieving 70 percent completion of the East-West Road, President Jonathan’s administration had achieved aviation rejuvenation and power stability.
He said, “The APC may face the wrath of the people of Niger Delta for saying that a performing President and a performing son of the soil should not campaign in the region