Jos — The Solomon Lar Centre has risen in defence of former PDP National Chairman, Chief Solomon Lar, over his support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s candidacy for next year’s election, saying it is in the country’s interest.

The centre in a statement on Monday also dismissed the statement from some quarters that Lar was jailed for corruption after his tenure as governor of Plateau State in 1984, alleging that he was merely victimised.

The statement signed by the Executive Secretary, Mr. Adeyi Ezekiel, said Lar’s support for Jonathan was neither selfish nor opportunistic.

“The support by Chief Lar and other prominent citizens for President Goodluck Jonathan is out of patriotism and love for Nigeria. Those who strayed into politics should take time to study the past and appreciate the labour of our heroes past. Chief Lar is among the surviving few who fought for our independence, fifty years ago, and he has over the decades made