A political group, New Northern Political Frontier, has slammed some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors and others who walked out of the last convention of the party to form a faction of the party. They pledged their support for President Goodluck Jonathan and his transformation agenda ahead of the 2015 general elections.

The group made its stand known when the members cutting across all the states in the North paid a solidarity visit to the President, represented by the Governors of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio; Delta, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan; Bayelsa, Hon. Seriake Dickson; and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.

Leader of the Group, Dr Abdul Ahmed Isiaq from Kaduna State, said they were appalled by the action of some of the leaders of the party and pledged their support and loyalty to the President.

Hear him: “We can no longer condone the unnecessary heat, the unnecessary impunity, and aggravation of the political tension in the country. We felt we should come together and make our voices heard that the North supports President Jonathan.

“Everybody has agreed that the country has some challenges and being that most of the problems come from the North and these things are trying to shed the North in bad light. That is why we have some together to distance ourselves from them.”

Dr. Isiaq said the administration of President Jonathan has done much for Northern Nigeria. He listed some of the achievements of the administration to include the establishment of almajiri schools and federal universities; massive construction of dams and the empowerment of farmers. He promised that they would as a grassroots organisation mobilise their members to support President Jonathan.

In his response, Chief Akpabio, who is also the Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, thanked them for their support for the administration and promised to convey their message to President Jonathan.

“I am happy because you are convinced that this administration needs to be supported. I am happy you are convinced that if the president is encouraged he would do more and the nation will be the better for it,” Chief Akpabio said, adding:

“What you are saying is that when President Jonathan fails, Nigeria has failed. If he succeeds, it means Nigeria has succeeded. If he does well it means he will bequeath a better country for the future generation. What you are saying is that you don’t want violence and you don’t want this country to break up. We will take your message to the President.”

•Photo shows President Jonathan.

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