*As Jonathan meets Middle-Belt leaders

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

ABUJA- President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State and his Nasarawa State counterpart, Akwe Doma, have congratulated the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, over his victory at the polls last Saturday.

Specifically, President Jonathan noted that Mark’s election for the fourth time was a rare feat in the nation’s contemporary history, saying “I congratulate you for making history.

“To survive one legislative session is a herculean task and to survive it four times is a miracle. It goes to show that you are truly in touch with your people”

Speaking when he met  with leaders of the Middle-Belt, along with Vice President Namadi Sambo and the Senate President on Monday, Jonathan said Mark’s overwhelming victory was a manifestation of his leadership qualities appreciated by his people.

He thanked the people of Benue State for recognizing and electing Mark again, saying “the senate president is a good strategist, a mobiliser and a goal-getter whose services are needed by the nation.”

The President reviewed last Saturday’s National Assembly election and called on party faithful to come out en masse and  vote for him on Saturday.

He noted that the Middle-Belt region had been a unifying force in Nigeria polity, stressing that “you must continue to play this strategic role of unity of this country.
“Historically, you have been playing that role, you are like a mortar that is used to hold the North and South together.

“I am optimistic that the issue of North/South dichotomy will gradually fade away.   In the new Nigeria, we shall be talking about Nigeria, not ethnicity, or religion, we shall focus on the economy, infrastructural development, employment and security of lives and property. This is my covenant with Nigerians; I promise I will not disappoint you.”

In his comment, the Vice President noted that the victory of Mark at the polls was  a testimony of his peoples’ desire to have good leadership.

Like the President, Sambo enjoined the people of the Middle-Belt to mobilize the electorate to come out enmasse  and vote for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, during Saturday’s presidential election.