It was supposed to be a unification rally meant to bring all aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-western part of Nigeria together; top members of the party declared in Lagos on Saturday afternoon that their major target in 2015 was to “recapture” Lagos State and other South-western states in the zone.
Each of those who spoke, including President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, National Chairman of the party, Adamu Mu’azu, the chairman of the PDP Governorship Forum, Governor Goodswill Akpabio, all noted that Lagos State had a lot of resources to be tapped apart from being a major economic hub of West Africa.
Jonathan and Sambo said their administration would endeavour that people of the State and other South-western states would not regret voting for the President’s return as well as voting for candidates on the platform of the PDP in the 2015 elections.
Jonathan, who said it was not time to campaign and that he would return to tell the people what he had done in the South-west and Nigeria, however began to reel out what he called his achievements so far.
He started his speech by saying when he arrived Lagos, his first point of call was the Synagogue Church of All Nations, where a six-storey building collapsed. He described it as a painful incident, noting that 65 of the 80 people who lost their lives were South Africans.
“Most of the people that died in the building are not Nigerians. Perhaps 65 people are South Africans. I spoke with the President of South Africa,” he said urging for a minute silence for all those who lost their lives.
He commended the PDP members of the South-west saying despite being like orphans because they have no governors in their states have remained to work for the party.
“We are here today for a unity rally. That’s why we are not presenting any candidates,” he said while telling those at the Tafawa Balewa Square venue of the rally that this was the fifth in a series and that the last rally would hold in Edo State,” he said.
“We will be back for the campaign…When you are in Lagos, you are almost in Nigeria.”
The president said he approved the recently held National Conference with an idea to tap the brains of Nigerians. He also urged the people of the zone that, just like they donated their people for the success of the conference, they should also vote for candidates of the National Assembly who would work with the Federal Government to achieve the content of the Confab report.
He urged them to be conscious of those they would send to the National Assembly in 2015 rather than sending those that would only embark on fighting the government.
He said his government had done much in relation to rail and road infrastructure as well as in agriculture and that because of the Nigerian Content Law, “many Nigerian millionaires have been made by the government.”
He commended the Minister of Agriculture saying that because of his success, international bodies are coming to learn from the ideas.
“We will continue to make sure we create jobs for our youths. We are improving our small and medium enterprises. We are succeeding because we are working with the private sector,” he said.
He said the PDP government was not dictatorial and as such allows things to play out democratically. He also commended the people of Ekiti State for returning the state to the PDP and thanked governor-elect, Ayo Fayose, for doing his best to emerge the winner of the election.
Jonathan thanked PDP for giving him the right of first refusal with his endorsement for re-election saying that was what was done in advanced countries.
“I am most humbled by that decision,” he said adding that it showed that the PDP had advanced more than it was before.
He said in the PDP, no one person is so powerful that he would determine who becomes a councillor, a senator, or a president.
In his speech, Mu’azu said the President had silently transformed Nigeria in many ways and said the party deliberately chose Lagos for the rally because of its population and economic importance to the country and Africa.
“I want to assure you that South-west had been under the PDP, but under serious legal processes, we lost three states,” he said.
“By the next election, we will not only recapture the remaining states, like I tell my friend, Fashola, we are coming and indeed, we have come. We are ready come 2015 to take over those states.
“I want to assure the President that by the grace of God, the people of South-west and Nigeria would reward u come 2015 by re-electing you as President of Nigeria.”
He also listed some former members of the All Progressives Congress in the zone that have moved over to the PDP.
While addressing those gathered at the venue, Akpabio said in recapturing the zone, the party was going to use Fayose as the nucleus.
“We are not saying vote for anybody today because it is not yet time for campaign,” he said but urged them to support Jonathan in 2015.
“Lagos would soon fall and become a PDP State…working with our dear president, we will not disappoint you,” he said adding that using the resources of Lagos as the economic hub of West Africa, “we would touch you.”
Also, Bode George, who stood in for Tony Anenih, the Board of Trustees Chairman, who was absent, assured the President “that the Yoruba people are ready to give their support in 2015.” He said the PDP had resolved all its problems in the South-west.
Emeka Ihedioha, who represented Senate President David Mark at the rally, told the president that his colleagues at the National Assembly had endorsed the president.
“The National Assembly caucus has endorsed Mr. President as our sole candidate for 2015,” he said noting that every other part of the country was under the PDP except the South-west.
He said with the feat recorded by the PDP in Ekiti, the party was encouraged to continue with its rallies.
The PDP urges you to repeat the feat you achieved with the 2011 election,” he told the people and urged them to convince others to support the President.
“We thank you for the anticipated support,” he told them, adding: “we know what happened in Oshun and we know the Presidential election would correct what happened in Oshun.”
Namadi Sambo thanked the people for turning out in support of the rally saying their presence was in appreciation of the President’s transformation agenda.
He said the administration had created two new power plants to boost the power supply of Lagos State. He aso said the President had successfully completed the rehabilitation of railway from Lagos to Kano.
“I want to also inform you that the contracts for the Lagos-Ibadan railway lines have been awarded and work would soon begin, the Sagamu-Ore-Benin road has been completed. Another railway line from Ondo to Edo and to the southern part of the country has been awarded,” he said.
He said the president has approved the construction of a brand new deep sea port in the Lekki area of Lagos and another one around the Badagry area.
He said 500,000 youths have been employed because of the transformation agenda of the president and that the president had inaugurated a board and directed the board to ensure the employment of three million youths.
Fayose also promised the president that the South-west would be delivered to the PDP and the President in 2015.
