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PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan got a boost to his re-election bid over the weekend when the Witches and Wizards Association of Nigeria (Witzan) said it was backing him as its favoured candidate in the forthcoming presidential elections.

Predicting that President Jonathan will win, Dr Okhue Iboi, Witzan's national coordinator said they had even warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari not to run against the president. He added that this was how they warned former vice president four years ago not to contest but he went ahead and did and lost.

Dr Ibio said: "I am not supporting any politician but I warned former vice president Atiku Abubakar not to contest against President Goodluck Jonathan four years ago, that he would be defeated and that the action won’t make him return to power again. Not only him, I also warned General Ibrahim Babangida not to attempt it too, so I hope they know better now.

"We just held a meeting of witches in Kogi State where it was revealed to me that Jonathan would win the presidential election. He has the support of all witches to continue in office."

According to Dr Ibio, there was a time witches in Benue State invited their colleagues from across the country to offer prayers for the senate president David Mark, against impeachment. He added that they flew to Oturkpo and later to a village called Owetor, where they offered the prayers.

Dr Ibio predicted that after President Jonathans win the election, violence will erupt after the announcement of the result. He added, however, that the tension that will pervade the nation will subside with prayers from Nigerians because it is a country of prayer warriors.

Other predictions he made are that after President Jonathan's second term, power will return to the north, with the identity of the candidate that will succeed him becoming known by 2017. Also, Dr Ibio said that from this year, Nigeria's economy will witness a turnaround and power will be stable, while investors will flood into nation and those living abroad will return home.