POLITICS: GEJ Says He Is Under Pressure To Contest!

President Goodluck Jonathan finally broke his silence on Thursday on his rumoured second term ambition that could see him spend as much as 10 years in office as President of Nigeria. He said he is under pressure from over 1665 campaign groups who have volunteered to work for his re-election in 2015.

But the leadership of the leading opposition, the APC, has reacted to the alleged pressure on Jonathan to run in 2015, restating its determination to wrest political power from the PDP.

There will be a change of guard in 2015, the APC declared in Abuja. Besides, the APC said it is now putting all efforts to ensure that rigging of election is stopped at all cost.

The president’s presumed second term bid has been the thrust of the festering crisis in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Regardless, President Jonathan who spoke through his special adviser on political matters, Ali Ahmed Gulak said, even Nigerians abroad are “burning in unquenchable desire to return to the country and cast their votes for the ruling PDP come 2015”.

Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at a meeting of the Elders’ Advisory Council of the Goodluck Support Group (GSG), Gulak said: “Since our last meeting, we have received various support groups being coordinated by the GSG. We have, as of today, 1665. The last to visit was the Ochendo Solidarity Movement from Abia State.

“About 150 of them came to this office. We discussed. They have called on Mr. President to declare his intention. They said that they were not flattering. “There is no alternative to President Jonathan come 2015…”

Chairman of the Council of Elders of the GSG, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, said many politicians in the country want to be identified with the good works of President Jonathan.