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| GOOD LUCK IS THE GREAT TASTE. |
Rivers
State was run by Jonathan's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) until the
defection of its governor Rotimi Amaechi in late 2013 to the main
opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
It
has since been a flashpoint for violence between supporters of the two
parties, with long-standing complaints from Amaechi about a personal
campaign against him by the government in Abuja.
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| A GREAT MAN OF HONOUR,HIS EXCELLENT SUCCESS IS YOURS |
He told AFP: "Apart from retaining the presidency, the PDP will also take over the Rivers government house from the usurpers."
Thousands
of people thronged the 40,000-seat stadium where Jonathan addressed a
rally under tight security and played up his connection to the state.
"This is part of my area,"
he said in a short speech, reminding the crowd how his home state of
Bayelsa was formed from part of Rivers State and playing up his
connections to the city.
As a southerner and Christian, he would ordinarily be expected to count on widespread support from his kinsmen.
But
apparent momentum for the APC -- fuelled by criticism of Jonathan's
failure to end the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency in the north -- has
given added importance to control of the major urban centre.
APC
chairman for the state Davies Ibiamu Ikanya said he was confident of
winning the February 14 presidential and parliamentary polls, as well as
the governorship and state assembly vote two weeks later.
"President
Jonathan won massively in the state in 2011 but he has lost that
goodwill because of poor performance in office," he said.
"The people are clamouring for a change which the APC is ready to bring about."
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| PDP IS THE BEST FOR NIGERIA. |
Political
commentator Chris Ngwodo said regaining control of Rivers --
traditionally held by the ruling party -- was vital for Jonathan and
could help determine the outcome of the election.Losing Rivers is going to be a
very, very significant loss in terms of votes, in terms of sheer
numbers... and will add to the APC's national strength," he said.
"It (the APC) already controls Lagos and Kano. It would be disastrous for the PDP."
There
were few doubts about Jonathan's chances in his hometown of Otuoke,
where a huge billboard of the president dominates the only road into the
sleepy farming and fishing community.
Jonathan
is the first president from the Ijaw minority ethnic group and is seen
as a figure of hope for his people clamouring for a fair share of oil
extracted locally.
"Our son has done well. His performance speaks for him," said Osain Francis Ogbuoni, a 30-year-old youth leader.
"Given the deluge of problems he inherited from his predecessors, it will be unfair to deny him re-election.
"We will rally everybody in the Niger Delta for him. He has brought development and progress to us."
Many
in Otuoke point to how Jonathan put the town on the map: a university,
hospital and road were built and business opportunities created.
Others
credit him for ending militant violence in the Delta and warn that
unrest could flare up again if the APC candidate Muhammadu Buhari, a
former military ruler and northern Muslim, wins.
"Our
support for him (Jonathan) is not on sentiment but merit. He has
achieved a lot for Nigeria within four years," said Oba Green, 33, a
health science graduate.
But
there was not blanket support and some echoed the APC election campaign,
which has focused on alleged PDP failures in office.
"He
(Jonathan) has to seriously address the issue of electricity. For
instance, we don't have regular power in our school and even in this
community," said political science student Daniel Daufa, 23.
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