8th February, 2011
President Goodluck Jonathan stormed Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria today and said that the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, is ready to take over power from the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in the southwest.
Addressing a campaign rally at Mapo, Ibadan in the Oyo State capital, Jonathan predicted that the PDP will take over power from “the rascals in Lagos this year and other parts of the Southwest whenever the elections in Ekiti and Osun states are held.
“Southwest is very important that the PDP cannot continue to leave power in the hands of rascals who are currently controlling it. For example, Lagos is a mini country and we cannot continue to leave it in the hands of other political parties,†Jonathan said.
He promised to tackle electricity, unemployment, economic and security problems.
He said out of the N500 billion set aside for rejuvenating the industries, N200 billion had already been made available.
Jonathan pledged that the entertainment industry will also be heavily invested in because it is creating jobs for the youths.
He also promised that rail transportation will be revived by his administration, adding that no project embarked upon by his administration will be abandoned.
Speaking also at the rally, former President Olusegun Obasanjo said that choice of Jonathan is to unite Nigerians, to strengthen the nation’s democracy and give a sense of belonging to all Nigerians.
He expressed confidence that Jonathan had been given the right tutelage to transform Nigeria.
In his speech, former ANPP Presidential aspirant, Chief Harry Akande, said the progressive in other political parties have failed Nigeria.
The National vice chairman of PDP in the southwest, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, urged President Jonathan to give key positions to the people of the zone.
He asked him to develop the southwest in all ramifications.
The Speaker, House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, who described Obasanjo as ‘Ebora Owu,’ urged the youths not to allow the older generation to deny them of their rightful position in the country.
Some of the PDP bigwigs at the rally include Vice President Namadi Sambo Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, Chief Tony Anenih, former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Governor Segun Oni, Senator Iyiola Omisore and PDP national executives.
The southwest coordinator of Jonathan/Sambo campaign organisation and Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel was absent at the rally.
—Gbenga Adesina, Ibadan
