News: GEJ defends September 22 schools resumption date + Visits Governor Suntai, says he is back to office

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday defended the September 22 school resumption date, saying there was currently no case of the disease in the country to warrant extension of the holiday.

Jonathan spoke to State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, when he reacted to the threat by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to embark on strike over government’s refusal to shift the date.

He said that the disease had been effectively contained, adding that keeping schools closed would send a wrong message to the international community about the situation in the country.

The president said government was prepared and had put measures in place to deal with any possible future outbreak of the virus in the country.

He said: “Presently, there is no Ebola case in Nigeria; nobody in Nigeria has the disease now.

“Most of the people who came down with the disease have recovered. Out of the 19, we lost seven and the others have recovered, although there a few people we are still observing.

“I am not saying we may not record Ebola case again. As long as the disease is still in the West Coast – Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the likelihood that a character like the Late Sawyer may come in through one way or the other is there.

Ailing Governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai, Tuesday night paid host to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Since his return, Suntai has been staying at the guest house of Gen. T.Y. Danjuma (rtd) in Abuja.

The president was accompanied by T.Y Danjuma to the guest house to encourage the governor, and to express his joy over his alleged recovery.

Those who received the President at the guest house were Suntai’s wife, Hauwa, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha and Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Gebons Kataps THISDAY reports that the President, led by Danjuma met Suntai in high spirits.

“On sighting Suntai, the president beamed and said: “But you are back now,” a source at the event had revealed.

According to the source, Suntai in response thanked the President for his support throughout his trying time, asking the President to thank his wife, the First Lady, Patience Jonathan who visited him in the United Kingdom where he went for treatment.

DailyPost recalls that Suntai returned to Nigeria last Saturday, and upon arrival, was shielded from those who were waiting to receive him at the Airport, especially; the acting governor of Taraba State, Garba Umar.

Suntai’s associates have justified their action, saying that the Acting Governor can no longer be trusted as he continues to push that Suntai be declared incapacitated to pave way for his full authority in the state.