President Goodluck Jonathan |
President Goodluck Jonathan took
his campaign to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday where he
described some former National Democratic Coalition leaders in the
South-West as hypocrites.
The President, who arrived at the Mapo
Hall venue of the campaign at 12.50pm after paying homage to the
Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana, had in his entourage the
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Adamu Mu’azu, members
of the National Working Committee of the party, the Ondo State
Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, Mrs. Jumoke Akinjide and other National
Assembly members.
Also present were the National Publicity
Secretary of the party, Olisa Metu; the Director General of the
National Campaign Organisation, Dr. Ahmadu Alli; the Director, Media and
Publicity of his campaign organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode; the party’s
governorship candidate in Oyo State, Teslim Folarin and other party
stalwarts.
While calling on the South-West leaders
to justify their leadership style and love for the people, Jonathan said
that instead of building prisons for the youths, he would build schools
for them.
He said, “I did say that the South-West
reminds one of the days of the National Democratic Coalition. But I am
convinced that some of the NADECO actors are hypocrites, because they
cannot justify what they are doing today. The South-West believes in
human rights and social justice. No south-westerner will pray that
someone who does not go through proper trial will be jailed for 300
years and above. If they are not hypocrites, they couldn’t be doing what
they are doing today, but I don’t want to go into that now. If they are
not hypocrites, they will not be talking about not empowering women.
“Without education, you cannot change
people. If I did not go to school, I will not be where I am today. Every
Nigerian child must have the Goodluck opportunity; that is why we are
building out-of-school children secondary schools and Almajiris schools
in some parts of Nigeria. I will not build prison for you but I will
build schools for you.”
On the issue of corruption in
government, Jonathan said that his administration had tried and jailed
many Nigerians but it would not solve the problem. He explained that the
problem would be solved through modern technology rather than harsh
approach.
He said, “On the issue of corruption,
let me reassure Nigerians that my commitment and method of solving the
problem of corruption is not the number of people I tried and jailed. We
have tried more Nigerians; more Nigerians have been jailed within this
period after passing through due process. But I have told people that if
I try 10 million Nigerians and jail five million for corruption; that
will not solve the problem. We must use modern technology to prevent
people from stealing, and that is what we are working on. If you vote me
in again, the day I will leave after four years, the next president
will not have to tackle corruption because we will use technology to
block areas where people are corruptly enriching themselves. We are no
longer in the analogue generation, I will solve corruption problem in
this country.”
The President also used the opportunity
to tell Nigerians that if voted in, his administration would give more
opportunity to women in government, saying that women’s place was not in
the kitchen or creating babies all the time.
He said, “We must continue to encourage
women in politics. We have been told by some political parties that they
will not encourage it. They said they would scrap the office of the
First Lady at the federal and state levels. They said they would scrap
the Office of the Council Chairman’s wife, the Defence Officers’ Wives
Association, the Army Officers’ Wives Association, the Naval Officers’
Wives Association, the Air Force Officers’ Wives Association and the
Police Officers’ Wives Association, but having served as deputy
governor, governor, Vice President and now President, I can tell you
that these offices are helping to mobilise our women. The money they
spend is coming from non-governmental organisations. We send our
daughters to big schools but do we then sentence them to become baby
factory workers and yam pounders? I don’t believe that Nigerian women
are designed to pound yam or be manufacturing children only and do
nothing more. Women are as endowed as men and they will continue to be
in top position in our government. I have told Nigerian women that their
2015 votes are to liberate them or imprison them in kitchens.”
While thanking the Ibadan people for
coming out in large numbers to welcome him, Jonathan said that after
meeting the Olubadan, he was convinced that the city deserved an
international airport. He promised to act on the request by the monarch.
“The Olubadan has requested that we
change the Ibadan airport to an international airport. Let us complete
this one first and the next step will be taken but I assure you that
Ibadan deserves an international airport. I have also promised that
Ibadan dry port, meant to decongest Lagos port, will be looked into.”
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