NEWS Nigerians’ll Send Jonathan Packing From Aso Rock In 2015 – Timipre Sylva

Former governor of Bayelsa State Timipre Sylva, has told President Goodluck Jonathan to forget his 2015 re-election ambition because Nigerians will send him packing from Aso Rock.
According to Sylva, people of the South-South will lead the struggle against Jonathan’s re-election because he has divided the region with his anti-people policies.
“Today, we in the Niger Delta have the Presidency of this country. But what has the Presidency of this country brought to us? It has brought divisions, in fact, put a crack in the unity of the Niger Delta,” he said.
Sylva spoke on Monday when he visited Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State. The former governor, who is now a staunch member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), assured Amaechi that Bayelsa APC would work with him to flush out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government at the next election.
With Sylva during the visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, were Bayelsa APC executives and supporters. Sylva said they came to show their solidarity with Amaechi. He said most Bayelsans were frustrated with the Jonathan administration and wanted a change, though the President is an indigene of the state.
“We, of APC in Bayelsa State decided to come to you (Amaechi) to solidarise with you, to tell you that not everybody in Bayelsa State is against progress; not everybody in Bayelsa State is an enemy of progress; that you also have a family in Bayelsa State that identifies with you all the way and we will stand by you all the way.
“When the time comes for us to sweep away the government of the day at the national level, Bayelsans will stand with you and be in the vanguard of sweeping away this government that has brought only misery to the Niger Delta.
“APC is the platform for progress. You (Amaechi) are an epitome of progress not only in the Niger Delta but in Nigeria. Everybody that comes to Rivers State will bear witness to what you have done, to your commitment and we will stand with you and we will continue to support you.”
He noted that APC is a better alternative to the PDP and would provide good leadership. “APC has provided a very credible platform for progressives to come together and sweep away the corruption and ineptitude of the government of the day,” the former Bayelsa State governor stated.
He decried the fact that Jonathan’s Presidency brought shame and opened cracks in the unity of the people of the South-South. Sylva recalled that Amaechi ran into trouble with the Federal Government when he told the Jonathan administration to complete the all-important East-West Road in the Niger Delta.
“I know that one of the things that brought problems between yourself and the Federal Government was that you were able to point to the fact that even the East-West Road, which is a major link in the South- South, has been neglected by this government and, of course, there were lots of shouts. Instead of the Federal Government coming to you to learn from you, to take what is good from you, they have decided to fight you and everyone knows about this. Very unfortunately,” he chided.
He applauded the Rivers governor for the laudable achievements in the state, confessing that so much has changed during the last few years that testify to Amaechi’s credibility and good leadership.
“I must say Mr. Governor that I was so impressed when I came into Rivers State. Many times I missed my way in Port Harcourt today because a lot of things have changed during your time. A lot of things have changed for the better. Port Harcourt is wearing a different look; even the air over Port Harcourt is different and sometimes, I wish that this change and development we see in Rivers State is also replicated nationwide.
“We have our brother as President today. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same thing is happening nationally,” he said. Responding, Amaechi thanked Sylva and the APC team from Bayelsa for the visit and solidarity and he used the opportunity to call on Nigerians to vote for only credible leaders.
“It’s important we realise that character is an essential element to good governance – you can’t see a man who has betrayed his friends and you say make him governor or make him deputy. What have you done? You have empowered him to betray more persons, including betraying the money you have left behind in the coffers. So, character should be an essential element in selecting our leaders,” he said.
Amaechi congratulated those who, despite Sylva’s travails, remained true and loyal to him, recalling that as a leader, he had been severally betrayed, even abandoned by those he trusted most and urged APC in Bayelsa State to close ranks and work together for electoral victory in the elections ahead.