President Goodluck Jonathan, on Friday, evening, paid an unscheduled visit to the Olu of Warri, Ogiame, Atuwatse II, in his palace in Delta State.The visit lasted for just 21 minutes at the palace.
Jonathan, who arrived the palace at exactly 5:37p.m, in company of the governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, was ushered into the premises in a convoy of about 20 cars.
It was observed that as early as 7:00a.m, surveillance had been mounted in and around the palace by well armed regular policemen and soldiers drafted from the Warri Area Command and 3 Battalion, Nigerian Army at Effurun.
As soon as the president arrived, journalists, who made attempt to enter the palace, were stopped from doing so.
Although the reason for the unscheduled visit could not be ascertained at press time, it may not be unconnected with the botched groundbreaking ceremony of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) over which the Itsekiri are angry and threatening not to vote for the president next month.
It will be recalled that the EPZ grounbreaking ceremony was halted last year after the Ijaws of Gbaramatu threatened mayhem if the president did not postpone it to iron out grey areas.
Aides of Uduaghan and Itsekiri chief and youth leader, Chief Ayiri Emami, refused to speak to journalists over the president’s visit.
Meanwhile, a crowd of Itsekiri youths, who gathered in front of the palace, immediately after the president and his entourage left at 5:58p.m, began to chant:”APC, APC, APC: Buhari, Buhari, Buhari.”
They chorused in unison that they would not support the president in his bid to return to Aso Rock.
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Politics