“Give Pres. Jonathan due respect when he visits Maiduguri”- Gov. Shettima

Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, has been on the receiving end of attacks on his convoy by youths in two northern states of Katsina and Bauchi where he visited to campaign for the 2015 elections.

The actions of the mob believed to be sympathetic to the APC candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, against the president has heated the polity as some in the South like Gov. Ayo Fayose and Asari Dokubo have threatened to retaliate.

As Pres. Jonathan moves to Borno state to campaign on Saturday, the APC governor of that state, Kashim Shettima, has appealed to Borno people to not disrespect the president and his entourage when they visit the state.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Mallam Isa Gusau, the governor said that he was making the call in light of the recent events in Katsina and Bauchi which he condemned as “disrespectful, show of intolerance and extremely bad politics.”

“From what I have read or heard in the media, so far, there has not been any issue of such in any APC-controlled State visited by the President and Borno should not be an exception. We have political differences and our differences are legitimate and based on the principles of our political parties and what we stand for.

“But we must remember that His Excellency, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and as citizens of this country, we have an obligation to respect his office and his person.

“Our millions of citizens who support the APC in Borno State and our Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari and anyone that supports me or any of our National and State Assembly candidates in the State should shun any act of violence, intolerance and unlawful political behaviour before, during and after the President’s visit and should remain law abiding citizens of Borno State as our laws, norms and values demand,” added Shettima.