President Goodluck Jonathan's profile is soaring by the day with more groups in Rivers, Oyo and Kogi States, assuring him of their support to win the March 28 elections.

The Rivers Elders and Leaders Council (RELEC), have described President Jonathan as a Niger Delta project whom the region should vote for in the March 28 elections.

The leaders said their decision to endorse Jonathan was based on the need to ensure that the Niger Delta region maintained its relevance in the governance of the country.

Addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt, on Saturday, chairman of RELEC, Chief Albert Horsfall, said the group was not partisan but arrived at the decision to protect the interest of “Rivers people”.

“I would advise all of us, Rivers men and women and youths, not to put our sentiments or judgment on what Jonathan has done or not done for Rivers State, or whether or not he has offended or negated our expectations and aspirations.

“We must base our judgment on the political developments that had taken place since 1934 and had evolved on the emergence of Jonathan, a son of the Niger Delta, as Nigeria’s president,” he said

Horsfall, a former intelligence chief, said the Rivers people had contributed to the political, physical, economic social and cultural development of the country and, as such, deserved to be given a special place in the country.

Also, the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation in Oyo State has boasted that the president is highly rated by the electorate in the state.

The group, in a statement issued in Ibadan, the state capital, which was signed by Director of Media and Publicity, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan, a copy of which was made available to Sunday Tribune at the weekend, added that all frontline political parties in the state had come out to openly adopt the president as its presidential candidate.

“It is becoming crystal clear that President Jonathan will not only carry the day in the March 28 presidential election, but also win with an overwhelming majority in all the local government areas of Oyo State.

“This is evident in the unprecedented cross-over endorsements, royal blessings and sincere open declarations being given to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by all that matter in the nooks and crannies of the pacesetter state.

“From rival political parties, adversary politicians, eminent traditional rulers and top businessmen to leading youth and women groups, the gale of endorsement of President Jonathan in Oyo State has continued to rise.

“Popular youth mobilisers across the state, including those serving in the cabinet of the incumbent governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, like the Special Adviser to the governor on Youth Affairs, Mr Godwin Obode, and Honorable Abiodun Gbolagade, his adviser on housing have all left the All Progressives Congress (APC) and are now working hard for the success of President Jonathan.

In a related development, youths across the 21 local government areas of Kogi State have endorsed President Jonathan for re-election in the March 28 presidential election.

The endorsement was announced during the Kogi youth strategic meeting in support of the president organised by the Northern Local Government Chairmen ‘s Forum (NLGCF) in Lokoja, Kogi State.

Pioneer chairman of the forum, Comrade Mohammed Ali, in his address, said Jonathan had performed creditably in his first term and deserved to be re-elected in order to consolidate on his transformation programmes.

*Adapted from Sunday Tribune. Photo shows Jonathan