The wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, on Saturday said her husband would remain in office for eight years to complete his two terms in office.
Mrs. Jonathan said this during the Peoples Democratic Party women rally under the auspices of Women for Change and Development Initiative in Benin, Edo State.
She was accompanied by national and state leaders of the party.
Women, drawn from different support groups across the state, had turned out for the event as early as 9am.
Some had left the stadium at about 1.30pm when Mrs. Jonathan arrived at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, venue of the rally.
Unable to bear the scorching heat, two women fainted but were later revived by a medical team provided by the party.
A mild drama ensued shortly before the President’s wife’s address when two men, said to be aggrieved PDP youths, tore down some banners bearing the image of the President’s wife.
They were, however, whisked away by some security operatives at the arena.
Addressing the women, Mrs Jonathan said the Presidency had been occupied for eight years by other geopolitical zones and wondered why the South-South should be denied the opportunity.
She also noted that the Jonathan-led administration had performed creditably in various sectors such as in transport and education, and by her assessment, the president’s performance had been satisfactory.
Mrs. Jonathan described the present administration as a gender-sensitive government, which had prioritised women development through the appointment of several women in key positions, the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme and the YouWin Initiative.
She stressed that re-electing her husband was an opportunity for Nigerian women to appreciate his good performance, adding that the opposition party was not dependable and had nothing to offer.