President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday boasted that his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) owns Kwara State and will certainly win the governorship election in 2015, to spell the end of the political career of Senator Bukola Saraki who is believed to be the de facto Governor of the state.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa during a visit by Members of the Kwara PDP led by Hajiya Bola Shagaya, Jonathan assured that PDP would recover its stolen mandate in the state.
“I do not think we need a soothsayer to say that Kwara is totally for the PDP. Just like the principal secretary said, the taste of the pudding is in the eating”, Jonathan said.
“In 2015, we will know who owns Kwara. And if God gives us the opportunity, which I believe, probably we will even test our strength before 2015. All stolen mandates will return to PDP. And those who think that they can run away with our mandates, the members of the Assembly who have refused to defect will have nothing to regret. Just celebrate it.
“If they think that PDP will allow them to run away with it, they will see it. So let us continue to encourage you and we will continue to work together with your leaders, supporters and make sure that just like the senator said, not only will we win the election at the national level, we will also win at the state levels”.
The president expressed the party’s determination to assume control of state structures, the governorship seat, the state Assembly and every other available position, saying it is easier to reach the grassroots through the states than through the centre.
“The country is so big that by the time we distribute positions, you will not be noticed. But at the state level, we can touch more people”, he said.
“So any state we are unable to win, members of the party in that state will continue to live like orphans. So definitely, we are taking over Kwara. So I am quite pleased with what you have done today”.
He joined the organizing secretary and vice president in thanking the party members who paid him the visit. He also thanked them for their role in the successful rally in Ilorin and other parts of Kwara.
“Let me also join others to express our deepest appreciation for the reception you gave to us when we came for the rally. The rally in Kwara was even thicker than some zonal rallies”, the president said.
“It was even a day because the government had wanted to distract the attention of the citizens. They arranged some programmes even within the Ilorin, and those programmes failed. These things do not happen by chance; [it is] because men and women who are here worked very hard to get to that level so extend our appreciation to our brothers and sisters and formidable members of our party who are not here. You spent your personal money in mobilizing our people to get there that day”.
Laziz Jimoh, who spoke on behalf of the group, assured the president that he could count on kwara’s support ahead of the 2015 presidential election.
Also present at the visit were Senator Simeon Ajibola; Gbemi Saraki; Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Suleiman Ajadi; and Special Adviser to the President on Ethics, Sarah Jibrin.
