Details have emerged of the meeting between former President Goodluck Jonathan and some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa on Monday, November 18.
The leaders of the party which just won the election, said their visit to Jonathan and his wife, Patience, was because of the importance of the former president to the effective governance of the state.
The leaders of the APC were led to Jonathan by a former governor of the state and current minister of state for petroleum, Timipre Sylva. At the meeting was the state’s governor-elect, David Lyon.
It was learnt that at the meeting, the APC top officials said they recognised Jonathan as the father and leader of the state.
According to Sylva, Jonathan deserves to be respected and honoured by all Bayelsans, irrespective of the political party they belong.
He said this was the reason Lyon was brought to the former president for his blessing and guidance.
“Being a former president of the country and a past governor of the state, Jonathan remains an asset to the state and his inputs will always be needed to advance the course of governance in the Bayelsa.
“As such it was important for us to introduce the governor-elect to him and seek his support and guidance in building a better Bayelsa,” Sylva was reported to have said. In his response, Jonathan urged governor-elect Lyon to focus more on the welfare and interest of the people of the state not minding whether they voted for him or not.
“As a former president of Nigeria, I am a father to all Bayelsans, hence my doors are open to all citizens irrespective of their political affiliations.
“Elections are over now, so I want you to see yourself as the governor of all Bayelsans and not only to the sections that voted for you. This is the way to move Bayelsa forward,” Jonathan said.