Support Jonathan, PDP begs Obasanjo

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday appealed to
former President Olusegun Obasanjo to back the re-election
bid of President Goodluck Jonathan in next month’s general
elections.
The PDP said Obasanjo’s support was imperative because it
was crucial for the president’s victory in the February 14 poll.
Obasanjo, who had engaged in war of words with the
President in recent times, has since last year formally
withdrawn active participation in the affairs of the ruling PDP.
The former president was, however, absent from the MKO
Abiola Stadium venue of yesterday’s President Jonathan’s
campaign in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. The former
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, did
not also attend the rally.
Earlier, journalists who had besieged Obasanjo’s Hilltop
Presidential Mansion in Abeokuta to await the planned visit by
Jonathan to the former president’s residence were
disappointed when the event did not hold.
Reporters who had kept vigil outside Obasanjo’s palatial
mansion left in a hurry when it dawned on them that the
meeting would not hold after all, and the news of Jonathan’s
arrival at the venue of the campaign got to them.
Shortly before then, at about 2:59pm, a black jeep escorted by
a security vehicle sneaked out of a gate said to be used by
only the former president and headed to an unknown
destination.
Within minutes, the operatives of the Department of State
Security (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence
Corps (NSCDC) deployed around Obasanjo’s mansion in
anticipation of President Jonathan’s speculated visit were
withdrawn.
But while addressing party supporters during the rally at the
MKO Abiola Stadium, the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji
Adamu Mu’azu, urged Obasanjo to throw his weight behind
Jonathan in the February 14 election.
At the rally attended by leaders of the party at the national
level, the South-West coordinator of the Goodluck-Sambo
Campaign Organisation and Governor of Ondo State, Dr.
Olusegun Mimiko; former governor of Ogun State, Chief
Gbenga Daniel; the Chairman, Mobilization and Organisation
Committee of the PDP in the South-West, Prince Buruji
Kashamu; the National Auditor of the party, Alhaji Adewole
Adeyanju, Mu’azu said as the first president produced by the
PDP, Obasanjo who had laid the “solid foundation” upon which
his successors had been building on, should at this crucial
period, support the re-election of Jonathan for a second term.
“I know baba has laid a solid foundation on which his
successors, one by one are building on and this foundation is
solid. We appreciate his leadership, we appreciate his
commitment, we thank him for his support and we call on him
for his continuous support and prayers, especially at this point
in time to support our president, President Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan in his bid, in our bid for the forthcoming election.
One good thing the people of Ogun State deserve. One good
turn deserves another.”
Mu’azu also appealed to the people of the state to cast their
votes massively for President Jonathan and the PDP
governorship candidate, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, in the
forthcoming elections.
“I believe that all of you with no prejudice will commit
yourselves, will dedicate yourselves to the re-election of
President Goodluck Jonathan for his second and final term as
the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Is that not
so? I beg you to come out en masse to vote for our very
humble, committed, dedicated, hardworking and result-
oriented president, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan come
14th of February, 2015. I want to thank you for your
commitment and dedication,” he said.
Isiaka, in his speech, commended the leadership of the party
for confirming him as its standard bearer in the state. He
assured that with people like him holding the reins of
governance, the youths were set to properly play their role in
the development of the state and Nigeria.
While addressing supporters at the rally, President Jonathan
assured that if re-elected, his administration would create
about two million jobs annually.
Jonathan said this had become imperative in order to absorb
about 1.8 million graduates produced annually for the
country’s labour market.
The President also said that his administration had through
the Subsidy Re-Investment Programme (SURE-P) generated
employment for the unemployed.
“Our target is to create two million jobs every year and with
this development, we are going to have zero unemployment in
the next years,” he added.
He also promised to address the challenges confronting the
Nigerian youth so as to prepare them for leadership roles,
pledging to also empower the women for national
development.