By Henry Umoru
ABUJA- AHEAD the 2015 Presidential election, Northern elders and youths yesterday stormed the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Abuja to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan for the exalted position, just as they pleaded with him to make himself available and vie.
The elders and youths came under the aegis of three groups, Northern Elders Forum, North/South New Nigeria Forum, Fresh Air Continuity Group of North West and Northern PDP Youth.
The groups – led by a former Education Minister under the late Gen Abacha’s regime and former Presidential Aspirant of All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, Dr Dauda Birmah, on a solidarity visit to the PDP national Chairman of PDP, AlhajiBamanga Tukur – declared that the North would ever be grateful to the PDP led Government of President Jonathan for creating a conducive atmosphere that made the release of the former Chief Security Adviser to late Sani Abacha, MajorHamza Al-Mustapha possible after over 14 yearsof incarceration.
They however hailed Jonathan over the release from prison of Major Hamza al-Mustapha, just asthey promised to get most voters in the north, especially North West to support and vote for him.
Dauda Birma, said “Goodluck Jonathan’s leadership has been rated as the best administration so far. With what Jonathan has done in Maiduguri, I can affirm that the city is now safer than most parts of the country”.
According to him, Major Mustapha’s release would not have been possible by the ordinary fiat of the court if not for the underground work of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and the consent of the executive of the President Jonathan led administration, adding that the Groups decided to come out openly to appreciate the exemplary leadership qualities of the President Jonathan since assumption of office which had been unprecedented in the anal of Nigeria.
He said they were also at the PDP National Secretariat to correct insinuations that the People of the North especially the North- West Zone were against his Presidential ambition come 2015, adding that the release of Major Al-Mustapha had further fuelled the supports of the North for the re election of President Jonathan come 2015.
The leaders of the three Groups, Hajia Nana Abdulkadri, Mallam Mohammed Omeri and Ibrahim Mohammed in their remarks expressed their appreciation for the release of the former CSO and acknowledged the roles of the leadership of the Party and the President and as well dismissed the wrong notion that the North in general was against the Presidential ambition of Dr Jonathan come 2015.
Responding, Alhaji Tukur said that it was a thing of joy for him for three different Groups to come at the same time to appreciate openly the achievements of the PDP led administration of President Jonathan at this point in time when wrong impressions were being created that all was not well in the country.
According to him, “to me, this is democracy in action, people will agree with you,people will also disagree with you, we can not see things the same way at all times, when we see good things we should celebrate like these groups are doing now, celebrate good things, celebrate democracy, celebrate justice, don’t be intimidated by others, this is your country, hold it firmly”

olas2u: Pay to write people everywhere?GEJ should go home.