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Senate President
David Mark and other federal lawmakers from Benue State, yesterday,
declared their support for President Jonathan Goodluck to seek a new
term next year, a day after 19 northern governors said they have not
decided on who to endorse as president in 2011.

The Benue
representatives in the National Assembly, under the name of Benue State
Caucus of the National Assembly, said they are in support of Mr.
Jonathan running in 2011 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic
Party.

The caucus said its
position tallies with governor Gabriel Suswam’s rejection of the
controversial zoning system which has pitched Mr. Jonathan’s supporters
against many politicians urging for a power shift to northern Nigeria.
The president himself has yet to whether he will contest in 2011.

Mr. Suswam was one of the eight governors who voted against the “zoning” option at the northern governors’ meeting.

At a press
conference attended by eight of the 12 Benue State members of the House
of Representatives and Joseph Akaagerger, a Senator representing Benue
North East senatorial zone, the lawmakers said the governor’s position
was the true reflection of the wish of Benue people.

Ten northern
governors, however, voted in support of the “zoning” Tuesday in Kaduna
but added that the president, like any other Nigerian, has the right to
contest elections as stated in the 1999 constitution.

According to Mr.
Akaagerger, “the attention of the Representatives of the people of
Benue State in the National Assembly (Senate and House of
Representatives) has been drawn to recent media publications relating
to the current burning national question as to whether or not President
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is competent to and should or should not
contest the 2011 Presidential Election.

“We wish to state
unequivocally as follows: that consequent upon consultation with the
Benue State National Assembly legislators’ caucus, the governor of
Benue State, Gabriel Suswam was mandated to hold consultation with all
principal stakeholders of the PDP and Benue people generally,” he said.

Mr. Akaagerger, who
is the vice chairman, senate committee on communications, explained
that the Senate President David Mark is personally aware of the
position and is in support of it. He said Mr. Mark and other members
absent at the briefing could not attend due to other engagements.

Members of the
caucus at the briefing were Solomon Agidani (Apa/Agatu federal
constituency), Terngu Tsegba (Gboko/Tarka), David Idoko
(Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo), Augustine Adikpe (Oju/Obi), Emmanuel Jime
(Makurdi/Guma), Orker Jev (Buruku),

Chile Igbawua (Kwande/Ushongo) and Christy Allaga (Gwer East/Gwer West).

Only Hernan Iorwase Hembe (Vandeikya/Konshisha), Mzenda Iho
(Katsina-Ala/Ukum/Logo) and Nelson Alapa, were absent from the meeting.