The South-South Consultative Summit has called on President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to openly declare his interest in the 2011 presidential election without further delay as well as run for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This was contained in a communiqué issued by the summit at the end of its deliberation on Monday, at the Presidential Hotel, Port Harcourt, adding that while assuring Jonathan of total and undiluted support of the entire South-South, it called on all other geopolitical zones, organizations, communities and constituencies to support the quest to deepen, widen and consolidate democracy by supporting Jonathan for President.

The 13 point communiqué which was read on behalf of the summit by Professor Julius Ihonvbere at the end of South-South Stake Holders Forum with the theme “Dynamics of the 2011 Presidential Election: The South-South Perspective”, resolved to work assiduously in unison with other geopolitical zones to ensure the country remains one, indivisible, secular entity, where all peoples, irrespective of ethnicity, religion, party affiliations, have equal rights and privileges as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.

It recognized that this is the time to collectively transcend primordial sentiments and dispositions in the conversation on national affairs in order to build strong, viable and democratic blocks for peace and progress, adding that the south-south can only make progress when its leaders, communities and constituencies unite, work together, strategise together and speak with one voice.

The summit, which was made up of governors of the South-South States, National and State legislators, former and serving ministers, elder statesmen, leaders of thought, captains of industries, youth organizations and professional bodies, acknowledged and commended the effort of the governors of the region towards bringing development, peace and unity to the region

It appreciated, acknowledged and commended the enormous efforts and contributions of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua at entrenching due process, rule of law, fight against corruption, restoration of peace to the Niger Delta Region, through the amnesty programme, reforms in the power and energy sectors, as well as electoral reforms in order to give a level playing field to all politically inclined Nigerians to attain their aspirations.

The summit, however, noted with deep sorrow and regret that the inevitable call of nature could not allow the late president to accomplish all the reformatory agenda, stressing that, “arising from the above, the summit resolves to support the winning team of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR and Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo GCON in their quest to take the reform agenda to a logical conclusion for the benefit of all Nigerians”.

On credible electoral reforms, it stated its belief in President Jonathan’s resolve to give Nigeria credible elections by appointing Professor Attahiru Jega as the country’s new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and called on all Nigerians to support the amended constitution while noting with delight his power sector reform agenda, crusade against corruption, improvement in foreign reserve earnings and his practical efforts at ensuring peace and security of all Nigerians, at home and in the Diaspora.

The people acknowledged and commended the effort of the president to reposition Nigeria and rekindle the confidence of the international community in Nigeria’s political system as well as acknowledged and associated fully with the resolutions of the recently held Northern Political Summit in Kaduna and urged all Nigerians to support President Goodluck Jonathan in the onerous task that providence has bestowed on him to move Nigeria forward beyond 2011.

It further commended the Northern Political Summit for its patriotism, clear vision, commitment to fair play and justice, and undiluted appreciation of the rights and liberties of all Nigerians irrespective of primordial sentiments while believing in the incontrovertible  position of the Nigerian constitution that gives full rights to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, above all other considerations, to aspire to the position of president at the 2011 elections, “more so as the zone, in spite of its enormous contributions to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic product (GDP), is yet to produce a President or Head of State in the  50 years of Nigeria’s existence as a sovereign nation”.

Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State Chairman of the Summit as well as chairman of South-South Governors Forum, in an opening address, described the summit as an auspicious gathering of who is who in the South-South geopolitical Zone, whose mission was to participate and deliberate on issues that affect them as a people and region and also speak with one voice, hoping that as they gathered they would meaningfully discuss current events in politics, economy and future of the zone as well as opportunities affecting them as a zone and nation.

Imoke disclosed that the summit was expected to arrive at one common ground for the benefits of the zone and Nigeria as leaders and representatives of various arms and government would listen and comment at the end of the discussion as well as issued communiqué that reflected the deliberations while urging stakeholders to remain steadfast and committed to the cause.

Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of River State and host, in welcome address, said participants were expected to strategize ideas and plan for the future in tandem with the dynamics of 2011, adding that in order to ensure -the summit achieved its objective, each governor took time off the executive schedule to play active roles.