My Strongest Support Is From South-East Region – Jonathan

My Strongest Support Is From South-East Region – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday said the people of the South-East region had remained steadfast in supporting his administration.

The President, who showered words of praise on the people of the region, said, “No other zone has equalled the South-East zone in terms of support for me and my administration.”

The President spoke at the foundation laying ceremony of the new international terminal and the commissioning of the remodelled terminal of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

He touched down at the airport around 11:20am.

After the commissioning, he proceeded to the Enugu State Government Lodge for a town-hall meeting with South-East stakeholders.

At the meeting, Jonathan said the backing the South-East people were giving to his administration had made him one of them, noting that he would remain so even after he had left office.

He said, “I thank you for the kind of support you have given to me since I indicated interest in national politics. Till today, I have the strongest support from the South-East; I want to thank you for that. I am very grateful.

“I am part of this part of the country and I will continue to remain so even after national service. I equally want to use this opportunity to thank all Nigerians for the total support they are giving to my administration.”

While appealing for peace in the country, Jonathan reassured Nigerians about the commitment of his government to bring about the much needed change.

He said, “We know that the purpose of government is to create an enabling environment for development and to provide the necessary infrastructure for development; we are totally committed to doing that.

“This government is just about two years, but you all will agree with me that within these two years, we have identified some key areas and we are doing well in those areas. Surely, this country will change.

“What we request from all Nigerians is peace. You cannot do anything when you don’t have peace. With peace, there will be economic development. With peace, there will be employment and employment will also create wealth.

“For that reason, we must make sure that all parts of this country enjoy peace. That’s why we are pleading with our people where we have all forms of religious conflict, like the Boko Haram in the North. Even though it is not the concept of Islam, it is a pseudo religious conflict with ethnic cleansing in some parts of the North.

“We have excessive robbery and kidnapping in the South-South and in some parts of the South-East. We must all talk to our boys to make sure that we have peace.”

Jonathan added that it was the responsibility of government to protect its citizens. “When people feel they must cause crisis in any part of the country, we must enforce law and order,” he added.

He had earlier said at the airport that when work was completed, the airport would be lifting about 500,000 passengers yearly.

He added that the project, which is also going on in some other airports in the country, would be completed before December 2014.

In a speech to the President on behalf of the South-East zone, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State commended the President for his special attention to the zone, as well as his mature handling of the challenges facing the country.

Obi, who is also the Chairman, South-East Governors’ Forum, said, “You have handled such challenges with great equanimity and statesmanship.  You have carried us all along and shown abiding interest in, and support for, our zone. For that, Mr. President, we will continue to be immensely grateful.

“We have previously expressed our appreciation for the eminently qualified sons and daughters of this zone who you have honoured with various national assignments and federal appointments. Please be rest assured that we will always avail you of our very best and qualitative candidates, who are not only proud and honoured to serve, but are also committed to bringing added value to every task you may assign them.”

Obi equally expressed the appreciation of the people of the zone to the President for the work at the airport.

He, however, said the South-East still needed Jonathan’s government to devote more resources to the second Niger Bridge, as well as dilapidated roads in the zone.