21st March, 2015
Wife of Nigeria’s president, Dame Patience Jonathan has urged Nigerians to come out en masse to vote during the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections, noting that, the party will deliver on its promises.
NAN reports that she spoke at the Lagos Women’s Rally in support of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid.
The women’s rally, initiated by the first lady, was also to support the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Lagos, Mr Jimi Agbaje and all other Lagos PDP candidates.
Addressing the rally, which held at the National Stadium in Surulere, the first lady urged the women to vote wisely and choose the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the elections.
“If you vote for PDP, you will never regret it,” she said.
Jonathan urged the people of Lagos to vote for the Jonathan/Sambo ticket in the presidential election and for Agbaje in the gubernatorial election.
She also canvassed support for all other PDP candidates in the state., assuring the women that the PDP, which has delivered, will continue to do so.
“We do what we promise; PDP is not a propaganda party,” she told the crowd.
The first lady said that the President implemented the 35 per cent Beijing affirmative action for women.
“Jonathan will give us more female ministers. There is a lot of skill acquisition and free grants from N1million to N10 million for Nigerian women by the Jonathan administration,” she said.
Dame Jonathan said that Agbaje would also deliver on his campaign promises in Lagos.
“Jimi will win and will not dupe you,” she said, while commending the governorship candidate for carrying women along.
Addressing the crowd, the National Woman Leader of the PDP, Amb. Kema Chikwe, said that Nigeria had a first lady that was working hard to ensure that Nigerian women were properly taken care of.
“Patience Jonathan has written her name in the history of Nigeria as the best first lady Nigeria ever had.
Chikwe also lauded President Jonathan for giving serious recognition to women.
“We have female Ministers of Petroleum, Information and Finance and a woman is the Chief Justice of the Federation. “We (women) should always thank God for such a President,” Chikwe said.
Earlier, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro urged Nigerians to vote for Jonathan for continuity of his transformation agenda.
NAN reports that the rally, which drew a large crowd, attracted Nollywood stars, representatives of various socio-cultural groups, chieftains of the PDP in the state and other party faithful, among others.