NAN – President Goodluck Jonathan in Katsina on Friday, March 14, 2014 paid homage to Hajia Aya Dada, mother of late President Umaru Yar’Adua.
Jonathan, who was on a two-day state visit to Katsina, arrived at the Yar’Adua’s’ compound at 9.20 a.m. accompanied by Gov. Ibrahim Shema.
Jonathan and his entourage were received by Alhaji Mustapha, the younger brother of the late president, who led them to their matriarch.
Shema introduced the president to Hajia Aya Dada and Jonathan in humility knelt down before her to receive motherly blessings.
He also paid homage to late Yar’Adua’s elder brother Alhaji Yusuf Musa Yar’Adua before leaving the compound.
The late Yar’Adua became the first civilian leader in Nigeria to take over from another after winning a presidential poll in 2007 with Jonathan as his Vice.
Yar’Adua, 58, died of a chronic heart disease, pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining around the heart, on May 5, 2010, which constitutionally paved way for Jonathan to take over as president.
Meanwhile, Jonathan has said that only the ruling party, PDP can stabilise the politics of the nation, and urged Nigerians to vote for it come 2015.
Jonathan said this after inspecting a new secretariat complex of the party in Katsina.
The President, who inspected the complex shortly after he left the Yar’Adua’s compound, urged the party executives in the states to toe the Katsina line by building a permanent party secretariat.
He noted that Katsina was one of the few states that had built a befitting permanent party secretariat.
The state Chairman of party, Alhaji Rabiu Bakori, said the secretariat was conceived by Shema and built with the contributions and support of party members.
Bakori said the secretariat was inaugurated in January by the party National Chairman, Adamu Mu`azu.
Shema in a remark said the PDP in the state was united and formidable and would continue to support the Jonathan’s administration.
The president also inspected a 250-bed Orthopaedic hospital on Dutsin-Ma Road built by the state government.
Jonathan also inspected the facilities at the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma and the Katsina Songhai project/Sobe Dam.
The president left for Abuja after the inspections.
