Youths donate N2m to Jonathan for nomination form

Some youths under the aegis of Northern Youth Forum on Saturday donated N2m to President Goodluck Jonathan to purchase his presidential nomination form.

President Jonathan

The Coordinator of the forum, Engr Bello Bichi, announced the donation at a rally in support of President Jonathan in Kano State.

He said the decision to donate the money was borne out of the forum’s resolve to support the re-election bid of the president under the platform of the PDP in 2015.

“We decided to support Mr President with this token amount to enable him purchase the nomination form for the presidency.

“The youths in the north believe that President Jonathan has the country and youth at heart in view of his commitment toward transforming the country,” he said.

Bichi reaffirmed the commitment of youths in the north to support President Jonathan’s ambition for the second term.

He called on the president not to relent in his effort toward ensuring peace, unity and development in the country.

In his remarks, the Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, charged youths in the country to avoid acts capable of causing chaos during the forthcoming general [VAC1] election in the country.

He said, “Gone are the days when we should take up dangerous weapons during the election.

“As youths, you are expected to conduct your affairs peacefully, especially during election in order to ensure peace in our state and the country.

“We have a herculean task ahead of us, so you have to come out en masse and vote so as to ensure the success of the party at all levels in 2015.”

He commended the youths for the gesture and assured them that the federal Government would continue to come up with programmes aimed at improving their socio-economic status.

“The president had wanted to come and grace this occasion personally if not for some pressing national matters,” he said.

Also in his remarks, the Minister of Youth Development, Mr Boni Haruna, said the donation was a clear indication that Northern youths were in support of President Jonathan’s bid to re-contest the presidency in 2015.

The occasion was attended by prominent personalities including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Aminu Wali and the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Prof Rufa’i Alkali, among others.

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Youths donate N2m to Jonathan for nomination form

2015: Seek re-election, S/East PDP govs beg Jonathan

I will never disappoint you, Jonathan tells Ndigbo

By Tony Edike, Enugu

The leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South East geopolitical zone, Friday, unanimously urged President Goodluck Jonathan to re-contest for a second term in 2015 assuring him of their total support.

Jonathan Banner

President Jonathan responding to the request assured Nigerians and the Southeasterners in particular that he would never disappoint them even though he said time was not ripe for him to declare whether to run or not.

At the well-attended Unity Rally of the PDP South East zone held at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, Friday, various speakers including the Chairman, South East Governors Forum and Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji and other South East governors called on President Jonathan to re-contest the presidential poll in 2015.

They insisted that on no account should he reject their request for his re-election, stressing that they would not mind conscripting him if he refused to declare his intention to continue in office.

Addressing the rally, Governor Orji said that President Jonathan had performed very well to deserve a second term in office and should heed the call by the South East to seek re-election.

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2015: Seek re-election, S/East PDP govs beg Jonathan

20015: Court dismisses suit to stop Jonathan re-election

A Federal High Court in Kaduna yesterday struck out a suit seeking to restrain President Goodluck Jonathan from seeking a re-election in  the 2015 election.

President Goodluck Jonathan

The suit was filed by two chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Richard Mneaga and Shuaibu Lill.

The plaintiffs had  sought  among other things, for an order to disqualify  Jonathan from presenting himself as the presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2015 election.

The also wanted the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  to restrain the PDP from accepting the nomination of Jonathan as its  presidential candidate in the 2015 election.

In the suit, filed on October 7, 2013,  the plaintiffs  insisted that Jonathan had completed his eight years in office as president of the country,  beginning from May 29, 2007.

The plaintiffs also sought “a declaration that President Jonathan is not entitled to a tenure of office as president exceeding eight years beginning from 2007, till the last holder of the said office.”

But President Jonathan, through his counsel, Dr. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), said the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to institute the suit.

He stated that heenjoys immunity from civil and criminal proceedings brought against him in his personal capacity as president.

He noted the the issue of eligibility to contest the 2015 election had been decided by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in Suit No: FCT/HC/CV/2449/2012.

Jonathan further argued that since there is no law that bars him from running for the presidency, the plaintiffs had no cause of action against him as to entitle them to institute the action against him.

However, in her ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike,  dismissed the suit for lack of merit.

The judge said the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to drag the president  to court based on Section 308 of the constitution which gives him immunity not to  sue or be sued.

She affirmed that  Jonathan has the constitutional right to contest for presidency in 2015 if he so desires.

The judge also said the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter  since the plaintiffs did not follow the due process in filing their case, stressing that the  petition was filed out of jurisdiction.

However, reacting to the judgment, counsel to the plaintiffs, Mohammed Ibrahim, faulted the technicalities on which the judge relied to deliver her judgment instead of looking at the matter on its merit.

He said they would proceed to the Court of Appeal for further interpretation of the judgment of the court. (0)

20015: Court dismisses suit to stop Jonathan re-election