FOLLOWING incessant upheavals in Jos, the capital of Plateau State, security has been beefed up in all strategic locations within the city ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential campaign rally in the state today.

The venue of the rally, Jos Township Stadium, has been closed to all activities while anti-bomb squad and other security agencies, on Wednesday, were busy sweeping the stadium to detect probable dangerous materials that could disrupt the rally.

Traffic was disrupted at some of the major roads within the city, especially the Terminus, Rwang Pam Street and Old Bukuru Park, leading to the Gbong-Gwom’s palace, where the president is expected to pay homage to the paramount ruler, Da Jacob Gyang Buba.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, the state coordinator of Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation, Bulus Dareng, said there was no need to panic as adequate arrangements had been made to make the rally a huge success.

Dareng said the coming of the president and his deputy to the state was a mere formality, adding that the state was like a home to the president, as the people of Plateau State had not hidden their support for the aspiration of President Jonathan.

“The coming of the president for a rally in the state is a mere formality, the people of Plateau have spoken that they have no alternative to President Jonathan; his coming is just to fulfill all righteousness.”

He added that the president, within the few months of being in the saddle, had proved to be a man of honour and integrity based on the way he had been piloting the affairs of the country, adding that his achievement in the power sector in particular was a testimony to his good intention for the country.

The state coordinator condemned the insinuation that the North was not with Jonathan and as such would not vote for him in the April polls, adding that there was nothing like a monolithic North anymore.
”Those claiming the leadership of the North are simply speaking for themselves. Many of them have no electoral value. They are simply seeking for recognition to be relevant.

“The youth in this part of the country are tired of their antics and therefore, want the status quo changed. In the North-Central, otherwise called the Middle-Belt, the acceptable presidential candidate is President Jonathan,” he said.