Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has declared that Nigeria's Presidency is a bonifade property of the South-South region for now, insisting that his political godson, President Goodluck Jonathan, must be returned in next month’s election.

Alamieyeseigha, who spoke at the flag-off of the Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign at Oghara in Ethiope West Local Government Area, maintained that no opposition party would be allowed to occupy the Presidency.

“We shall not allow the Presidency to be occupied by the opposition. It is our bonafide property in the South-South for now and we will not allow it to slip off,” Alamieyesei­gha, who is the chairman of the Presidential Contact Committee (South-South), declared.

He explained that his committee was specifically assigned to Edo and Delta states to work with PDP stakeholders to ensure the victory of the party’s can­didates at all levels of the election.

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Steve Oru, urged the crowd of PDP faithful to vote en-masse for Jonathan on February 14, saying the President had done well and de­served a second term.

He implored voters in Delta State to vote the governorship candidate of the party, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and other candi­dates of the party for elec­tive positions.

Addressing the crowd, Senator Okowa pledged to consolidate on the achievements of the PDP-led administration in the state since 1999, noting that the state had witnessed unprecedented transforma­tion under the PDP leader­ship.

Okowa said the PDP would continue to preach the gospel of unity in the state, pointing out that his administration would build bridges of develop­ment across the multi-eth­nic state. He urged voters to ignore opposition par­ties and their candidates, who according to him kept changing platforms every election year.

•Adapted from a Daily Sun report. Photo shows Alamieyeseigha.