Nigeria Content Online

President Goodluck
Jonathan has accepted to engage his main opponent for the presidential
ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, in a
political debate.

Though he said this
must be done at the instance of the party, he said he expected that the
party’s flag bearer and other candidates will debate on issues based on
manifestos rather than challenging each other as if to a wrestling
competition.

Mr. Jonathan’s 2011
political ambition took a step forward when he was yesterday
unanimously endorsed by South-South delegates to the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) national convention during a meeting between the president
and the south-south delegates in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

The delegates from
the six states of the region openly endorsed the Jonathan/Sambo ticket
as the best ticket. While thanking delegates for their support, Mr.
Jonathan said he was ready to take up the challenge of his main
opponent whenever the party deems it fit for them to meet.

“I am waiting for the party to invite me for presidential debate,” he said.

The president also
assured the people of the region that he will do his best not to let
them down, noting that whatever he does while in office will rub off
positively or negatively on the people from the south-south region.

He further noted
that he will ensure that he does nothing that will jeorpardise the
chances of others from the region in the nearest future.

“If I mess up, the
people will reject us (zone) completely, and this is why I have to do
everything possible to ensure that we do well as a government,” he said.

Working for progress

He reassured the
people that come March next year, the country will enjoy relative power
stability, as all the efforts put in by the administration should have
yielded tons of fruits.

The president said
after considering the other aspirants from the party, he is convinced
that he and his vice president present the best that will lead the
nation out of the woods.

“That is why our
administration is assuring Nigerians that if given another four years,
we would try and make the country better,” he said.

Mr. Jonathan, who
had earlier met with the chairman of Rivers State traditional ruler,
King TJT Princewill JP Amachree, Amanyanbo of Kalabari Kingdom, also
reiterated his plan to send to the National Assembly a bill that will
recognise the traditional institutions in the country.

This he said he
will do early next year. He asked the traditional rulers to contribute
towards the bill when the National Assembly commences public debate on
the it.

The president, who
also reacted on the Jos killings, said the situation is a national
embarrassment, adding that terrorism has become a global plague which
the government is working hard to tackle and make a thing of the past.