6th April, 2011
The First Lady of Nigeria, Patience Jonathan says the people of Okrika Kingdom, her home town, cannot afford to play opposition politics in view of the many opportunities awaiting them in the ruling party.
Mrs Jonathan, who said this today at a rally to mobilise Rivers women to vote in this monthâ€
She stressed that the people need to support the party and all its candidates in this monthâ€
“Goodluck Jonathan is the chosen one, Chibuike Amaechi is the chosen oneâ€, she said, noting that there are strong and compelling reasons to vote en masse for all the candidates of the PDP in the Presidential, Governorship, National and State Assembly elections.
While urging the voters to shun other parties and embrace the Peoples Democratic Party, Dame Patience Jonathan said that having come to power through divine intervention, there was every need to support Godâ€
The First Lady commended Governor Amaechi for sustaining the peace in all parts of the state, saying “when people hear that we are coming to Rivers State they think that we keep armoured tanks here and there; but no, all those things are in the past nowâ€.
She also commended the youths of Rivers State for giving peace a chance, stressing that having embraced peace, the state would now witness unparalleled development.
Also speaking, the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, said one assurance he had given President Goodluck Jonathan was that Rivers State would be delivered to PDP in the forthcoming general elections.
Governor Amaechi, who emphasised the need for the Okrikans to vote PDP candidates in all the elections, said their vote for any of the partyâ€
In his speech, former Governor of Rivers State, Chief Rufus Ada-George said the First Lady has come to show that she is a patriotic daughter of Okrika, pointing out that from her privileged position she has identified what is right for the people of the area.
“We should believe whatever she tells us and make her proudâ€, Chief Ada-George declared, noting that “Governor Chibuike Amaechi has done well for Okrika people and we should remain hopeful that his second term in office would be better for the Okrika people.”
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt