Nigeria Interest Group (NIG), an organisation rooting for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 general election, has on Monday called on the Federal Government to post-humously decorate Dr Ameyo Adadevoh with the national honour: Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON) for her and patriotic display of courage in handling the Ebola disease in the country.
The title being sought for the late medical practitioner is the second highest in the country and apart from two business moguls, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Chief Mike Adenuga, only vice presidents of the country past and present, hold the title.
The group, which noted that the late physician paid the supreme price in her attempt to stop the spread of Ebola in the country, also commended other health practitioners for their “humanitarian and patriotic display of courage which has led to several victims of Ebola being successfully treated and discharged.”
The group made the call at a press conference in Abuja.
Led by its Director General, Barrister Jim Elueni, the group applauded Jonathan, the Federal Executive Council and the Federal Ministry of Health for their quick and pro-active response to the disease outbreak in the country, noting that it was because of the commendable measures adopted that the casualty figure of infected persons became low. The group also thanked the government for its recent donation of N200 million to Lagos State Government to assist in the fight against the virus.
NIG, which said it was out to enlighten Nigerians both home and in the Diaspora, on the gains of the present federal administration, canvassed support for re-election of Jonathan in next year’s general election, saying in spite of some problems currently confronting his administration, the president was determined to take Nigeria to the promised land.
It particularly appealed to Nigerians to support the president in ensuring that his December deadline for ending insurgency in the country was realised.
“We therefore call on all Nigerians to support the president in the struggle rather than engage in campaigns of calumny capable of inflaming the present crisis. We of the Nigeria Interest Group totally condemn the barbaric attacks by the insurgents and their sponsors,” Elueni said.
Elueni said his group’s support for the president to continue in office beyond 2015 was anchored on “several achievements” among which he listed the successful conclusion of the National Conference aimed at repositioning Nigeria, various elections conducted in recent times under the president’s watch and infrastructural development.
“We have studied the political terrain and monitored the activities of this administration and come to a conclusion that there can be no other credible candidate to contest for the presidency in 2015 other than Dr Goodluck Jonathan,” Elueni said.
“We call on Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, ethnic or political affiliations to rally round President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure the success of the transformation agenda.”