Sen. Ameh Ebute
A one-day summit with the theme “national integration, stability and the 2015 Elections” has ended in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State Capital with a call on minorities across the country to forge a united front in working for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, his deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd), foremost Ijaw Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, former Governor of Taraba State, Rev. Jolly Nyame, one time Governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Senator Femi Okunrounmu were among dignitaries that attended the summit.
Speaking at the event, Governor Seriake Dickson renewed his call on Nigerians to appreciate the fact that, the greatness of the country derives from its ethno-cultural and religious diversity.
The Governor, who spoke while declaring open the first National Summit organised by the Congress for Equality and Change (CEC) in Yenagoa, noted that, such common understanding will help tremendously in building a united and egalitarian Nigeria as envisioned by the founding fathers of the nation.
Expressing his belief in the oneness of the country, Governor Dickson decried the attitude of some politicians, who fan the embers of violence and sow seeds of disunity among the different ethnic nationalities that make up the country.
According to Hon. Dickson, it is only those, who do not believe in the corporate existence of Nigeria as one indivisible, united and egalitarian nation that build on its faultiness to achieve their personal interests.
While thanking the organisers of the summit, particularly the leadership of the Congress for reactivating the yearnings and aspirations of the minorities, promised to identify with the activities of the group to promote equality, peace and stability of the country.
He urged the participants to put to practice the knowledge they gained from the summit and emphasised the need for them to embark on an aggressive sensitization in their various locales on the need for their supporters, who duly registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) to collect their PVCs.
Speaking further, Governor Dickson called on Nigerians to vote the Peoples Democratic Party as they have always done and in the forthcoming elections, stressing that, it is only the PDP that can protect the interests of both minorities and majority ethnic nationalities.
Earlier in a welcome address, the National Chairman, Congress for Equality and Change, Senator Ameh Ebute, explained that the summit was organised to alert the nation of the dangerous trends in the ongoing electioneering campaigns, whereby tribal and religious sentiments, rather than achievements in office dominate the various political speeches.
The second aim of the summit, according to Senator Ebute, was “to educate and inform minorities in the country that the February 14 Presidential election is not about Jonathan, but about the future and political emancipation of the minorities in Nigeria”.
In his remarks, foremost Ijaw Leader, Chief Edwin Clark asserted that, the election of President Goodluck Jonathan has not only brought liberty to the minorities, but also ensured unprecedented development to the country.
Chief Clark, who also called on Nigerians to vote for the PDP, however urged members of the party in the North, particularly Adamawa State to rise above the antics being employed by detractors to rob the PDP of its success.
In their goodwill messages, former governor of Taraba, Rev Jolly Nyame, representing North East, his Anambra counterpart Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife (South East), and Senator Femi Okunrounmu representing the South West, all pledged their support to actualize President Jonathan’s re-election bid.
Others who spoke at the event include Mr. Matthew Attah Akwe (North Central), Architect Dauda Ibrahim (North West) and Dr Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi representing the South-South.
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