By Festus Ahon
UGHELLI—A  member of Goodluck Support Group, GSG, Chief John Agabi, has charged Nigerians to work assiduously for the election of President Goodluck Jonathan as president in 2011.

He aligned himself with the position of the national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo,  that zoning of the presidency should be jettisoned by the party.

Speaking during a meeting of the group in Orogun, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, yesterday, Agabi said that the zoning in 1999 was used to solve a problematic political situation in the country.

He said,  “zoning in 1999 was used to assuage the South-West and appease them for the loss of the presidency through Chief M. K. O Abiola. Abiola was already a President in the waiting and he died. The country then felt that these people should be compensated for June 12. Zoning was actually to solve a particular problem that threatened to divide this country. For now,  that situation does not exist.

“If the North is talking of zoning,  then we should go back to 1960 when we became independent, so that those areas that are yet to have representation at the highest level should also have representation.

Zoning between North and South is too broad. It is a cheat to those of us from the Niger Delta region, who sustain the nation.”  Saying that zoning ought to take cognizance of the six geo-political zones in the country, Agabi said the sharing of other national positions has always been based on the six zones.

He disclosed that the group was earlier known as Yar’ Adua/Jonathan Solidarity, explaining that it had to be rechristened Goodluck Support Group with Mr.Young Esiakpe as the Delta State co- coordinator after demise of         the late President Yar’Adua.