As campaigns for the 14 February, 2015 Presidential election hots up, President Goodluck Jonathan has described the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), clamour for change as mere hypocrisy even as he berated the party for declining to participate in the National Conference his administration organised last year.
Jonathan who’s campaign train berthed in Benin on Wednesday, queried why the APC that was canvassing for change would refuse to participate in a conference which was intended to to bring constitutional changes to the country.
He told party faithful and supporters at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium-venue of the campaign rally that he has not disappointed in the past four years since the people of Edo state gave him their mandate.
Citing Singapore, he said “it is the transformation that we are talking about,” pointing out that the change which the APC is offering Nigerians occur everyday in people’s lives.
The President assured Nigerians of his administration’s commitment to help them in all their endeavours, whether in field of sports, music or in the entertainment industry.
Earlier in his welcome address, Edo Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, while describing President Jonathan as a democrat who stands for the unity of the country, berated Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s assertion that Jonathan would not get more than 10 per cent of Edo votes in the presidential election.
He assured the President that Edo will give him more than 85 per cent votes during the election.
Chief Tom Ikimi who spoke in the same vein, declared that APC was dead in the state and was in the mortuary, adding that, “we are doing the burial rites.”
He called on INEC to ensure free and fair election through provision of Permanent Voters Cards to all eligible voters in the country.
Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, in his speech, said the people of the South-South will not vote for tyranny, autocracy and someone who has no respect for human dignity, and assured Jonathan the people of the region will vote for him.
Governor of Cross River State and Zonal Co-ordinator of Jonathan Campaign for the South-South, Sen. Liyel Imoke, said Jonathan has proven to Nigerians that performance was in the blood of the South-South people.
“After this campaign, do not visit the South-South again. You have won the election. Mr. President carry go,” he said, adding that, Jonathan has performed beyond any other President in the first term in office.
Hundreds of PDP members from neighbouring Delta, Ondo and Anambra states were also at the rally to give their support to their Edo state counterparts.
Meanwhile, for the first time in his administration, Governor Adams Oshiomhole failed to receive the President at the Benin City Airport.
It was gathered that the governor was busy campaigning at Edo North senatorial district when the President’s plane touched down at the Benin Airport at about 11:00 a.m.
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