Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo has asked President Goodluck Jonathan not to worry himself too much about the February 14 election as God has already known who He will give power to.
President Jonathan had, as usual, paid the Oba a courtesy visit at his palace to seek his royal blessing for the February 14 presidential poll.
From the palace, President Jonathan proceeded to the Benin stadium where he told a mammoth crowd that he is out to transform Nigeria and not the change the opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC) has been banding about. He emphasised that what the country needed now is transformation and not change.
The President, who addressed the crowd in the local ‘Nigerian English’ popularly known as pidgin English, made it clear that his administration had concentrated its effort in building schools instead of prisons.
He said that it is for this reason that the federal government is building construction technology in Edo State to take care of the young people who want to develop competent talent and skills in the construction industry.
Jonathan insisted that the country needs transformation at the moment and not change, adding: “Change takes place every day. If you move from your bedroom to your sitting room you have made a change but you have not transformed yourself. If you move from your sitting room to your Kitchen you have changed but you have not transformed yourself.”
President Jonathan went on: “as we dey talk today, it is that we go move this country forward. If you don read some books, person wey transform a country called Singapore. Singapore and Nigeria been dey the same level but e transform Singapore from third world country to first world country.
“That is the transformation we are talking about. We are not talking about somebody turning and say ‘I have changed’ and turn this way and say ‘I have changed.’
“We dey talk about transformation and that is why as we dey talk about school, this is a government wey be say when we come we know say so many Nigerian young people no fit get space for our university because we know say universities wey dey our country no plenty reach.
“Them the go Ghana go every where to study. Na im we come say make we get enough universities too make we see whether people go come here. So, we open 14 new universities. For secondary schools, if you look our law wey them dey call constitution no be dey work wey federal government dey do but because we know say we go make sure say our young people go school we build them plenty.”
President Jonathan said that his government is interested in building schools and not prisons adding: “we know say if person do bad thing, government say make you no do dat thing again. That is why Police dey.
“But wetin we like be say we go build schools for Nigerians. No be to build where we go go lock people where them dey call prison. Prison no dey bring better thing out. Na schools. The people wey dey say them want change, ask them say when they were there how many schools them build for us? Ask them; how many school them build?”
In his remarks, Vice President Namadi Sambo asked Nigerians not to vote for a person who cannot produce his primary school certificate, adding that President Jonathan is a PhD holder and scientist who can represent the country anywhere in the world.
“He (Jonathan) is a PhD holder and he is a scientist. To every global standard, Mr. President can go anywhere as one of the most educated people in this world. And me, Namadi Sambo, a fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Architect, I am an experienced Vice President.
“We have been working with the president as we promised you, designing, developing, constructing and transforming Nigeria. Mr. President has moved this country forward, all our infrastructure there is no sector that has not been improved tremendously.”
He said that PDP success story was not by accident adding: “it is by your right decision to elect Mr. President with the educational background and wealth of experience that he has been able to achieve this and to achieve more for you Nigerians.
“Would you want to vote for a president that cannot prove his primary school certificate? Do you want to vote for a president that do not have a primary school certificate at this age?”
Also speaking, First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan reminded the women of Nigeria that PDP is the only party that has remembered the women and their children.
According to her, PDP is the only party that has given Nigerian women 35 percent, adding that APC does not wish Nigerian women good.
“They (APC) can never come to power. When they were in power they did not carry any woman along in those days. They gave out appointments; they did not give any woman appointment.
“But when PDP came to power they remembered Nigerian women; they remembered that we women are intelligent, they remembered that we women are honest, they remembered that we women are trustworthy, they remembered that we women are educated, they remembered that we women can contribute to the development of this country and they carried us along.
“Because PDP know that we women are trustworthy, they gave us a portfolio to coordinate the economy of this country and we have proven it by improving the economy. CNN has proven it when they announced that Nigeria in economy we are doing well.”
Chairman of the PDP board of trustees, Chief Tony Anenih said instead of the people of south south to vote for tyranny and autocracy they will give President Jonathan their full votes with nothing left for the opposition.
Many Nollywood stars and top musicians in the country accompanied the president to his campaign rally in Edo State. [myad]
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