Maku Admits Pressure to Join Nasarawa Guber Race,Fails to Declare

Information Minister Mr. Labaran Maku says campaigns for elective positions in the 2015 general elections are yet to commence in keeping with the guidelines and time-table of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The Minister made the remarks in Nasarawa Eggon while speaking with newsmen shortly after addressing the political and community leaders of the Eggon ethnic group, who came out in large numbers to appeal to him to contest the 2015 governorship election in Nasarawa State.
He said all appointed public officials were expected to work in support of the President in the implementation of his Transformation Agenda until such a time that the coast would be clear for them to unfold their own political ambitions.
“This is my immediate community, they say people have been coming home jumping around that they want to be the Governor of Nasarawa State. That they looked at all these people and they are thinking that I must come home to rescue Nasarawa State in the position of Governor. I told them I am conveying the President’s message to them and I told them that for me, it is not yet time for me to make an open proclamation. I am working with the President, we have a lot of work to do and shortly they will hear from me but they should continue to work for the victory of the PDP in this state because we know that only PDP can deliver peace and development to Nasarawa State,” he said.
Mr. Maku enjoined the people to embrace peace at all times and support the administration of President Jonathan in his drive to ensure peace, security and the development of Nigeria.
He remarked that Nigeria witnessed unprecedented development in all the critical sectors of the economy under President Goodluck Jonathan and he now needed peace to actualise the transformation of the country.
According to the Minister, the gathering resolved to send him with a message to the President urging him not to be discouraged by the spate of insecurity in parts of the country but he should remain undeterred in his stride to develop the country as the people at the grass roots were appreciative of his efforts.
“They have resolved all over the state to send me with a message to the President that he should not allow the things that are happening in the country, especially in parts of the north to discourage him. That they are aware of his development stride across the country and that even without peace, he has gone better than many presidents in four years. Therefore, they believe that with what he has done in Almajiri education, in new universities, in building railways in the north and in the south, in supporting agriculture, in building roads across the country and in working hard to give this country the best economy in Africa, they believe that he is the president of the present and the future,” he stated.
The Minister said going by the bright future that awaited the country under the Jonathan administration, the people had agreed to call on the President to contest the 2015 election for him to lead Nigeria to the path of peace and sustainable development.
Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Ibrahim Alkali said the meeting was the climax of their consultations across the state, where the entire Eggon ethnic group in Nasarawa State agreed to support President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP at all levels in the 2015 general elections.