Why I came to polling centre without my wife –Jonathan

Wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, did not fly the same presidential aircraft with him to their Otuoke country home to participate in Saturday’s state Houses of Assembly election in Bayelsa State.

Jonathan disclosed this while fielding questions from journalists after casting his ballot at 1.50pm at polling unit 039, Ward 13 in Ogbia Constituency 3.

Curiously, only his mother, Eunice, accompanied him to Otuoke for the election on Saturday. The First Lady has not also visited her husband’s home state since he lost in the March 28 presidential election to APC’s Muhammadu Buhari.

She was, however, reported to have landed at Okrika, her community in River State, days preceding the governorship and state Houses Assembly elections.

Jonathan, who was responding to a question on why Patience was not with him at Otuoke on Saturday, unlike the case on March 28, said he and his wife flew different aircraft from Abuja.

He quickly added that Patience was being expected in Otuoke to undergo accreditation and also cast her vote.

“We used different aircrafts. She was supposed to be here. And we’ve been expecting her and we hope she will still come.

“The only problem is whether she will meet up with the accreditation period. But, she is supposed to be on her way”, Jonathan explained.

The President, however, expressed delight that Nigeria was consolidating on her democratic efforts. He said it was imperative for the citizens to avail themselves of their civic processes as elections were conducted every four years.

“But, I’m quite happy I have done my own civic duty and I expect all of you (journalists) to do the same”, he said.

Jonathan stressed that only House of Assembly election was being conducted in Bayelsa and that had accounted for the low voter turn-out in most of the polling units across the state.