We Should Vote For Jonathan In Our Own Interest - Yoruba Leaders

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Eminent leaders of thought in the Yoruba land, on Thursday, converged on Ibadan, the political capital of the South-West region and declared that every Yoruba son and daughter should vote for President Goodluck Jonathan in “their enlightened self-interest.”

Yoruba Leaders

The leaders spoke one after the other at the second post-national conference summit convened by the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, at the Premier Hotel and attended by prominent leaders in the region across political divides.

Chairman of the summit and leader of the Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, said the decision to support President Jonathan was taken to ensure that the report of the national conference was implemented.

Adebanjo described the report of the conference as a document that would bring the Yoruba nation back to the glorious era of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, stressing that the Yoruba nation should not be allowed to grope in the dark.

The Awoist went down memory lane to highlight how the country moved from regional government to awkward federalism, clarifying that Jonathan was adopted because of his commitment to the restructuring of the country through the implementation of the confab report.

He urged the Yoruba nation to reject the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major-General Muhammadu Buhari and those in the vanguard of the change campaign, adding that Buhari was far from being the angel his handlers were painting him as.

“The change we need is not in a change of personality, but a change of the constitution and this is why we must vote for Jonathan to guarantee the implementation of the confab report,” he said.

National chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and chairman of the Yoruba delegation to the 2014 confab, Chief Olu Falae, said the Yoruba leaders were consistent, principled and no blackmail could make them change their decision to support Jonathan.

“Throughout the conference, Jonathan did not try to teleguide us. He said he will implement the report of the conference in the first year of his second term of office. Our interest as Yoruba nation must be to get out of political and economic jail,” Falae said.

He dismissed insinuations that the Yoruba leaders were bribed by Jonathan to endorse him, saying he personally raised N20 million to support Buhari in 2007 because of Buhari’s promise to convoke a national conference if elected.

Leader of the Afenifere group, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, expressed delight that the discussions at the summit had afforded young men and women who had been shouting change the opportunity to understand what the real change should be.

Keynote speaker at the summit, Professor Dupe Olatubosun, described the APC change slogan as a complete hoax, because Buhari’s antecedents did not portray him as someone capable of bringing genuine change to the country.

“APC is dressing Buhari in borrowed robes of honesty, transparency and integrity. His sponsors know the truth, yet they are deceiving Nigerians for their personal, selfish, narrow political and economic interests,” he said.

Dr Doyin Okupe, in his goodwill message, said: “I am in government, but I am not happy. I am not unhappy with government, but I am unhappy with the status of the Yoruba nation in this government.”

Invited representative of the South-East zone and chairman of the President Jonathan Campaign Organisation in Southern Nigeria, former Anambra State governor, Mr Peter Obi, said the summit was timely, because “if you don’t know where you are coming from, you probably do not know where you are going.”

He stressed that the country could not afford to switch from digital to analogue era, adding that a vote for Jonathan was a vote for the future of the country.

Obi promised to go back to the South-East and recommend the convocation of a similar summit so as to guide the Igbo nation.

Tony Uranta, who represented the South-South region, remarked that it would be a travesty of justice if after all the efforts made by eminent Nigerians at the conference, its resolutions ended up in the trashbin.

Minister of State, Federal capital Territory, Chief Olajumoke Akinjide, said President Jonathan had already started implementing the report of the confab through the setting up of an inter-ministerial committee of which she was a member representing the South-West region.

She related the personal sad experiences of her family in the hands of Buhari as a military head of state and submitted that the alternative APC was trying to sell to Nigerians was fraudulent.

In a welcome address, the convener, Dr Mimiko, described the summit as a pan-Yoruba forum with all political tendencies in attendance and mapped out a bright future for the Yoruba nation.

Former Oyo State governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, urged Senator Bola Tinubu to restrict himself to speaking for his party, the APC and never claim to speak as the voice of the Yoruba nation, because he was not qualified to do so.

Leaders at the summit included Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo, Chief Richard Akinjide, Dr Femi Okurounmu, Chief Gbenga Daniel, Professor Wale Oladipo, Chief Shuaib Oyedokun, Alhaji Yekini Adeojo, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Dr Fredrick Faseun, Chief Gani Adams, Dr Olapade Agoro, Professor Olu Agbi, Professor Temitope Alonge, Senator Lekan Balogun, Senator Lekan Mustapha, Dr Fola Akinosun.

Others were Mr Jide Adeniji, Senator Teslim Folarin, Mr YInka Odumakin, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, Chief Supo Shonibare, Professor Niyi Akinnaso , Chief Abiola Ogundokun, Chief Dosu Oladipo, Honourable Remo Olatubora, Kayode Akinmade, Senator Sehinde Arogofa, Professor KolaOmotosho, Dr Eddy Olafeso, Chief Segun Adegoke, Dr Amos Akingba, Chief Pegba Otemolu, Wale Ajani and many others.

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We Should Vote For Jonathan In Our Own Interest - Yoruba Leaders

Jonathan woos Benin chiefs for re-election bid

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In a bid to gather more support from the South South geopolitical zone, President Goodluck Jonathan ha‎s urged traditional rulers in the Benin Kingdom to support his re-election bid, as a “son of the Benin palace.”

Jonathan and Oba of Benin

‎Jonathan made the appeal on Friday, when his campaign team paid a courtesy visit to some palace chiefs at the Holy Arousa Cathedral, Benin, the traditional place of worship of the Oba of Benin.

The Coordinator of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who conveyed the message of the president, said the Jonathan administration had performed creditably well and deserved a second term in order to complete his good works in Edo and other parts of the country.

Listed among the laudable Federal Government projects in the state are the rehabilitated Ofosu end of the Benin-Ore dual carriageway and the ongoing dualisation of Benin-Auchi-Okene road.

Others are the approval for the building of a new Federal Government Girls’ College, to be sited at Ehor, and ongoing construction of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company headquarters at Iyekogba in Benin.

While noting that the role of the Oba in national development was instrumental to the decision of the president to seek re-election, Ize-Iyamu urged the chiefs for royal blessings and support for the Peoples Democratic Party at all levels.

“I therefore ask that you pray for him, as elders of the land, because in 2011, Edo South voted overwhelmingly for him and this time, he expects more from you.

“He is not the only one contesting and voting for him alone may put him in danger, as he requires capable people to work with him at the national level. Therefore, he asked that our National Assembly and state Assembly candidates should also be voted for in this election,” he said.

Also speaking, a former deputy governor of the state, Chief Lucky Imansuen, and the Edo South PDP senatorial candidate, Mr. Matthew Urhoghide, described the party’s presidential candidate as an achiever, whom they said was working “silently” to develop Nigeria.

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Jonathan woos Benin chiefs for re-election bid

PDP’s oath-taking allegation against Tinubu outlandish, reactionary – APC

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The All Progressives Congress has said the “sickening and outlandish claim” by the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation that the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, plans to become Vice President through the back door is designed to divert attention from the success of the party’s presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.), at the Chatham House in London on Thursday.

In a statement in London on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the PDP and the Jonathan Administration still did not have any answer to what the APC described as “an epochal moment that has separated the wheat from the chaff.”

The APC said, ”Our presidential candidate’s globally-acclaimed outing has presented Nigerians, and indeed the global community, with a choice between a bumbling, ineffective, incoherent, clueless, visionless and incompetent President and an assertive, knowledgeable, dignified, purposeful and principled President-in-waiting.

”Having failed to discredit the (United Kingdom) outing with a rented crowd, some of whom confessed to have been paid to carry placards they did not even understand, the PDP and the Jonathan Administration have now resorted to making nauseating claims that are totally untrue, absolutely incomprehensible and nothing but sheer bunkum.”

APC described the claim as the latest in “a series of desperate moves” by the PDP and the Jonathan Administration since the emergence of Buhari as the APC presidential candidate, and “the clearest indication yet that they have no answer to the unstoppable momentum of a man of history.”

It added, ”They have thrown everything imaginable at Gen. Buhari, but he has continued to wax stronger and stronger: They said he was not qualified, that he was too old, then they fabricated a medical report of an illness of their own choice, sponsored death wish adverts against him and instituted a myriad of court cases to stop him.

”After they failed to stop him, they went after the election itself, using the PVCs as a tool to launch a campaign for postponement and, when they realised that would not work, came up with the bogey of insecurity in the North-East to force a postponement of the election, hoping they can buy enough time to revive their electoral misfortune.

”With everything working against them, they engaged in a show of shame at The Chatham House that backfired badly, on the heels of their bare-faced lies that Gen. Buhari was hospitalised in London. The preposterous claim of a secret oath – reminiscent of what they do in their own party – by the apparently ailing spokesman for the Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode, is their latest desperate act.”

APC said in as much as it had so far refrained from engaging Fani-Kayode in what the party called “his game of character assassination, abuses and irresponsible name calling, the party is becoming seriously concerned that he may be caving in under pressure and reverting to his undignified past of substance abuse.”

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PDP’s oath-taking allegation against Tinubu outlandish, reactionary – APC

Enugu Gov’s aide in soup for allegedly impregnating secondary school student

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By Austin Ogwuda, Enugu

A middle-aged man who narrowly escaped death in the hands of angry teachers for allegedly impregnating a secondary school girl was on Wednesday confirmed to be a Personal Assistant to the Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime.

Our reporter gathered that the true identity of the man (names withheld) was found in his Kia car impounded by the angry teachers. The car was still lying at the premises of Metropolitan Girls Secondary School located at Ogui New layout Enugu as at the time of this report along with his Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and other documents found in the car.

However, indication were rife that the powers that-be have intervened and directed the officials of National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) presently handling the investigation to soft pedal.

When our reporter visited the Enugu zonal office of NAPTIP located at GRA in Enugu yesterday afternoon, a top female official of the command who refused to disclose her identity said, “we don’t comment on cases being investigated, so no comment”.

The suspect who was earlier mistaken for a local contractor was beaten to pulp and stripped naked for allegedly impregnating an SS1 student of the school (names withheld).

The cat was let out of the bag when the victim suddenly slumped on the ground during morning assembly on that fateful Wednesday bleeding profusely. She later named the man responsible for the pregnancy.

He was therefore lured to the school where he was mobbed.

State Commissioner for Education, Professor Uche Okolo who earlier confirmed the incident told reporters that “a man was apprehended. The man defiled a girl. The girl got pregnant. The child was bleeding and rushed to hospital. The school made a report to NAPTIP. The man came to the school to take the girl and he was arrested. The good thing is that he has been apprehended. He should go and face the law”, he added.

 

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Enugu Gov’s aide in soup for allegedly impregnating secondary school student

The Looming Conspiracy Against Gen. Muhammadu Buhari

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According to the APC, General Muhammadu Buhari [rtd] [GMB] is the ‘Change Agent’ that will turn the economy around, end insurgency and eliminate corruption if voted into office as president of Nigeria. Consequently, the APC had continued to use any available medium to inform Nigerians of GMB’s impressive achievements when he was the military Head of State. But if he was as competent as chorused by the APC, why did GMB object to being judged as an individual for those things he did as the military Head of State? Why did the APC Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed say that nobody should ‘compare who Buhari was when he was a military ruler to a civilian who he is today’?

General Buhari

It is encouraging to note that GMB had since declared his assets, 150,000 heads of cattle and less than N2 million in Bank accounts. However, since the declaration, his wife, Hajiya Aishatu Buhari had amassed so much within this short period that she was able to donate drugs worth N135 million to the IDPs in Adamawa state. If she becomes the First Lady, at this rate, her loot will eclipse that of the incorruptible Ota Chief who had N20,000.00 only when he came to power in 1999 but left Aso Rock Villa in 2007 as a multi billionaire?

In the APC, there is a small group of very powerful treasury looters known as the Tinubu Boys [TB]. The TB consists of past and present governors, law makers, government officials and contractors mainly from South West Geopolitical Zone [SWGZ]. They are very loyal to Senator Tinubu whom they look up to as a godfather. They are the heart beats of the APC and if they sneeze, the APC as presently constituted will definitely catch cool. The TB played a leading role in the emergence of GMB as the APC presidential candidate. They also contribute generously towards the successful prosecution of the on going APC’s presidential campaigns.

So, if GMB will actually fight corruption and jail treasury looters, why do these treasury looters support him? Why are the media, Civil Society Organizations [CSOs] and prominent social commentators based in the SWGZ now in support of GMB’s presidential ambition? Why did they clamour desperately for the presidential election to be held on 14 February 2015 in spite of the fact that over 40% of registered voters in the SWGZ were not given their PVCs as at the date the INEC postponed the presidential election? The truth is that, while the Hausa Fulani Muslims [HFM] are clamoring for the return of power to them at any cost, the TB on the other hand are perfecting plans to reclaim power from the HFM as soon as possible if the APC wins the presidential election.

The seed of this conspiracy was initially planted by Senator Tinubu. He believes that GMB will not be able to successfully complete even the first term in office due to poor health, hence he tried for six [6] days to nominate himself as GMB’s running mate so that he will take over whenever GMB becomes incapacitated. When he could not succeed because the APC did not want to present a Muslim-Muslim ticket, he nominated a Christian, Professor Osinbajo to fill the gap. However, the conspiracy has now assumed a regional dimension due to surreptitious but effective campaigns by the TB in SWGZ. Consequently, most SWGZ-based media, CSOs, social commentators and even those who once described a possible GMB’s presidency as a ‘looming danger, have now keyed into the project.

The First Phase of the project is to ensure that the presidential election is held with GMB as the APC presidential candidate. Accordingly, most social commentators, CSOs and media based in the SWGZ had been sufficiently mobilized by the conspirators to promote GMB’s candidacy as well as project the APC as a better alternative. A very formidable legal team had also been assembled with the sole mandate to ensure that none of the pending disqualification cases in the Federal High Court and the Magistrate Court against GMB is conclusively resolved on or before 28 March 2015.

However, if the APC wins the presidential election, the Phase Two of the conspiracy will be activated. In Phase Two, these same media, CSOs and social commentators in the SWGZ will spring to live and call for judicial interpretation of Section 131 and Section 31 of the 1999 Constitution [As Amended] and Electoral Act 2010[As Amended] respectively. They will claim their cardinal objectives are to build strong institutions as well as strengthen our democracy. Well funded proxies will be used by the conspirators to ensure that the disqualification cases pending against GMB are not swept under the carpet.

During the campaigns, the TB were delighted to observe that GMB could not walk, talk or stand for a long time and that he was always forgetful. However, since they need him as the APC’s presidential candidate at any cost, the TB prevailed on the APC to opt out of the presidential debate in order to save the APC from embarrassment. But now, they will discourage him from going for medical check up, concerted efforts will be made to get GMB comprehensively engaged in governance so much that he will have very little or no time for himself. This is designed to quickly wear him down physically and further compound his health problems.

The conspirators are very hopeful that either GMB’s ill health or the pending disqualification cases will cause him to vacate Aso Rock Villa prematurely thereby facilitating his replacement by the Vice president, an individual of Yoruba extraction.

For the HFM, while celebrating your romance with the conspirators, remember the Greek Gift from the incorruptible Ota Chief in 2007 and its consequences. An African proverb says ‘if a snake decides to behave like a rope, people will continue to use it to tie firewood’. God bless Nigeria.

Dr Deborah Nelson

Ilorin, Kwara State

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The Looming Conspiracy Against Gen. Muhammadu Buhari

‘Why Obasanjo is having issues with Jonathan’

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By Oboh Agbonkhese

Chief Augustine Onyemaechi Mazie, is the Chairman, Board of Trustees, New Paradigm Transformation Initiative, NPTI, and strong advocate of unity, peace and progress of Nigeria. A retired Air Force personnel, he served as the Chairman Unity Campaign Team for the Election of the National Chairman and National Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2001 and is a two-time Principal Secretary of PDP, 2001 and 2005. In this interview, he bared his mind on the chances of the presidential candidates of the two major political parties in the forthcoming elections, saying that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari would have toppled Jonathan’s administration if he was still in the military. He also spoke on why former President Obasanjo is having issues with President Jonathan. Excerpts.

Olusegun Obasanjo

What is NTI’s assessment of Jonathan’s re-election bid?

The New Paradigm for Transformation Initiative, NPTI, is a socio-economic and Non-Governmental Organization, committed to the improvement and sustenance of peace, unity, positive transformation of Nigeria, and socio-economic wellbeing of the Nigerian people. In essence, one of the cardinal principles of the organization is to support any leader that upholds the principles of good governance.

Presently, it is pledging its support to President Goodluck Jonathan because the members were convinced that the President truly inspired them through his transformational policies and initiatives like FoI law, free and fair elections, institutional restructuring, economic reawakening and the ongoing infrastructural revival. As stakeholders in Nigeria, we in NPTI can talk about what is wrong with Nigeria, if the President is not tackling the Transformation Agenda, which he promised Nigerians, but if Nigerians are misunderstanding what he has been doing, we will help him to project his good work.

Don’t you feel jittery that the President is not getting the expected support?

Well, I can tell you that there is no fear at all in the Jonathan camp as I speak. I have come to realize that some people criticize everything that is begin said about the President without actually knowing what is being done. Some people said that President Jonathan has not built roads and other infrastructure, you cannot say that of him. If they are saying that, what were the situations of our roads when he became President? If you travelled during the last Christmas and saw the condition of the roads. You would agree with me that he is working.

But some people will wonder if it is only roads you could point at?

But he has performed in other areas as well. Take a look at our railways. I was so happy  because I have little children who didn’t know when the rail were running, but this past December, we saw train running from Port Harcourt to Enugu.

The President has not hidden his plan for the aviation sector. When you go round, you will realize that he has worked on that sector too, including agriculture, economy, and attracting foreign direct investments.

What is your take on his anti-corruption war?

I am surprised that the opposition is talking about corruption. Obasanjo in his inaugural speech as President in 1999, commented on corruption. He said he was going to fight corruption, but this corruption turned back to fight them. And you can see that is what is happening to Jonathan now.

Do you think his approach to the fight is yielding result?

The fact that the President has not jailed anybody does not mean he is not fighting corruption. He said “I am putting structures in place to be sure that if you block the way people steal money, there will no more corruption’’. The President is devising a system that was created by past leaders that will not tempt people to commit corruption. He said we have to put some processes, checks and balances in place, so that people do not just steal money anyhow. If those things are put in place, how do you think people will engage in corruption?

But the opposition insists his government is corrupt?

Those pointing accusing fingers at the President have not cleaned their cupboard very well. How could Buhari say he wants to come and fight corruption? When he was Minister of Petroleum, it was reported that $2.8 billion was missing. He has not accounted for it till today. At that time, one NTA journalist, Ms Vera Ifudu, reported it extensively.

There is also this case of 53 suitcases that passed through Buhari’s ADC, Jokolo, which has not been accounted for till date. What do we see in this country as corruption? Those corrupt people who fought Obasanjo are still fighting back. Buhari committed the greatest disservice to Nigeria by toppling a civilian government. If Buhari was still in army, the way he is fighting to become president, he would have toppled this present government. If Jonathan were to be like Buhari, he would have probably sent Buhari to jail for the atrocities he committed.

Do you think the Transformation Agenda is real?

Remember that the President told Nigerians that when he was growing up, he had no sandals. The same man who said he had no sandals  after going to school is now trying to prove to Nigerians that there are so many people like that by building 125 Almajiri schools. That is impacting because most of these Almajiris did not have the privilege to go to school, rather, they go pan-in-hand begging for food.

These young lads, through Jonathan’s intervention, are now in classrooms and would be future leaders. So, if you are building for the future, you are impacting lives. We were spending billions of naira importing rice. The agricultural reform plan of this administration has changed all that, that we now have rice.

 

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‘Why Obasanjo is having issues with Jonathan’

2015: With me as governor, Jonathan can’t lose in Bauchi – Yuguda

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Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, a close ally of President Goodluck Jonathan, is one of the outgoing Peoples Democratic Party governors, whose political sagacity is being tasked in the bid to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan come March 28 this year.

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

Gov. Yuguda

Although he has won many political battles in the past, the forthcoming election remains a test case that may push his political wizardry to the limit given the challenge being thrown at him from within and without his party.   But in this interview, the two-time governor boasts that he is equal to the challenge, insisting that Jonathan cannot lose in Bauchi with him presiding over as the governor of the state.

Excerpts:

From your assessment of the political atmosphere in your state, can you say with confidence that Bauchi State is ready to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan on March 28 this year? The question is pertinent given suspicion that some northern governors want to elect Buhari and then work for their cronies in the PDP to succeed them. Any truth in this?

Well, I must say that for any governor of northern extraction to take that kind of position would be a very satanic betrayal because for me, I am not in PDP to tell the president that I am with him and will turn round to do something against him as the president and leader of my party. That would amount to betrayal and betrayal is one of those things that is forbidden by Islam. I will never be a party to that. I would rather have told President Jonathan face to face, just like the other governors who left had done that they would not work with him and I would have walked away rather than remain in the party to work against him. After all, what have I not seen in this country? I have been part and parcel of the Nigerian project. I had served before as a two time minister, a banker and as a governor for eight years. Having come this far in the politics of this country why can’t I tell the truth and stand by it as a governor of a state?

But are you not afraid that your people would see you as an infidel if you don’t work for Buhari?

Look, there is no such issue. The issue at stake is this: are you talking about the votes of the governors themselves or the votes of the people under them? There is no way Nigerians in Bauchi will not vote of Jonathan and Buhari during the election. What we should be talking about is the percentage of votes for each. Don’t allow anyone to deceive you that the votes will be cast for one person. It is not possible in today’s Nigeria. But I want to assure Nigerians that Jonathan will win in Bauchi to enable him to continue the good work that he is doing in Aso Rock. In that case, I want to assure the president that he cannot lose election in Bauchi State when I am the field commander.

There is this allegation that Jonathan was stoned at the Bauchi Stadium when he came for campaign. Was he really stoned because as we speak, no such picture has been released to the public domain?

I want to say that I am not aware of the destruction of vehicles during the rally. All I am aware is that at the time when we were at the venue of the rally, there were some incidents of some youths throwing missiles at the podium when the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory was speaking. That I knew about. Again, at the time I came with the president and we were going round, some miscreants pelted us with some stones. Also, as we drove into the town with Mr. President, some youths were organised to raise brooms as our convoy was passing by.

That I know was organised ostensibly to give the erroneous impression that Isa Yuguda is hated by his own people. But that is not the true position. I think the social media carried some clips that seemed to suggest that there was stoning of some people on the podium.

But I want to assure all Nigerians that President Goodluck Jonathan was not stoned at the Bauchi Stadium on the day he came to campaign there. I was also not stoned while making my own speech on that day. In fact, when the president stood up and shouted Asalamilekum, everybody stood up and answered him and when I came and shouted, “Nigeria!” the same crowd rose and answered, “Sai Jonathan” up to five times.

That was the reaction of the people of Bauchi to Mr. President when he came campaigning in the state that day.  So, that goes to confirm the acceptability and the support that Mr. President has in Bauchi as against the impression being given by some persons that he was stoned and rejected in Bauchi. That is far from the truth and Nigerians should know that. Mr. President is definitely welcome in Bauchi. If that was not the case, I would have told the President and pleaded with him to allow me go elsewhere. But to the extent that I know the people of Bauchi are with me I have the comfort to tell the president that I am with him.

 

There is this open suspicion that the three most senior PDP leaders in the state -the National Chairman, the FCT Minister and you the governor-are not working together in the process of delivering the state to Mr. President.  What could be the problem or the missing link?

Well, what I can say is that I have tried very hard to work closely with these people you have mentioned to bring about peace and success for the party and the president. I think that if the two of them do not want to work with me, Nigerians should understand why it is so. They should understand that I stand out as the elected governor of Bauchi State and that they are appointees of the president.

I am the field commander for Mr. President in my state. I won my election after leaving PDP in January 2007 and two months later I won my election as governor under the platform of the ANPP, defeating PDP and the same party should know today that I decided to return to PDP after leaving ANPP. They should also remember that in 2011, I stood for election under PDP and won despite the fact that these same set of people fought against me. So, it is the will of Allah that I am with my people. And it stands to reason that if I am with Mr. President, my people too, are with him and there is no reason to fear. I can say that there is no reason Jonathan can lose election in my state except some of these people you are talking about are sabotaging us.

But let me say that winning election requires only 25 percent and Jonathan is going to get it this time around. In 2011, he did not get it but this time around he is going to win in Bauchi. But I should be allowed to carry my cross and deliver the state to Jonathan; I don’t need anybody’s assistance. I only need God’s assistance and I am praying that Mr. President gives me his support. Let him allow me to do my job as his field commander. He does not need to come back to Bauchi for campaign. I am there for him. I will deliver for him. After all, there are many states which do not have Abuja politician and they are winning elections for him. Jigawa is one of them, Niger is another. , Sokoto was one of them and many others. So, If I can perform the feat that other governors have not performed, they should give me the chance to prove my capacity as I did before, that is leaving PDP, defeating PDP, coming back into the PDP and defeating the opposition, then they should know I am not just there to make noise but to deliver.

As you are about to hand over to your successor in May, have you been able to deliver on your promises to the state and its people?

Yes, absolutely. I can say that I am more than satisfied with what I set out to do when I assumed office in 2007 and 2011. I can say without fear of contradiction that I have delivered on all the promises I made to the people of the state. Of all the things I promised I would do, there is only one that is yet to take off, that is the Kafinsa Dam project, which is a Federal Government Project.

Can we have an idea of some of the projects?

Let’s start with health: I have constructed over 50 brand new hospitals and a specialist hospital, which is now a referral one, which is the best hospital in West Africa today. I can boast that there is not one of its kind anywhere in Nigeria as at today and I challenge any hospital management in any part of Nigeria to visit Bauchi to see things for themselves. Nigerians don’t need to go outside for any medical attention with the completion of this hospital in the state.  All the equipment are there and it is not mere talk. I have delivered on all the rural projects I promised. These are in terms of roads, water supply and electricity. I have constructed over 400 motorised boreholes and schools. I have constructed over 1000 primary health centres, I have rehabilitated almost 90 percent of all secondary and primary schools in the state and fitted them with chairs and tables and 6 billion books. Bauchi and Lagos states are perhaps the only states that have been able to supply books from the primary to the secondary schools to their people.

I have established a state-owned university with all faculties except that of   of Medicine. I have made it possible for us to have a teaching hospital. I handed over the facilities of the then Bauchi Specialist Hospital to the Federal Government to set up one and it is one of the best. I have constructed one of the best airports in Nigeria and it has one of the most modern facilities as at today. It is ready to support the economy of the country because it can handle any type of aircraft.

There is a rumour that you are owing workers’ salaries. Why have you not paid?

I do not owe anyone any salary. I have said it before because some people claim that the state is owing them one month salary arrears. I still maintain that it is not true we are not indebted to any category of workers. What happened was that I was going to pay what we call 13th month salary to workers as a bonus but since they claim that it is a debt; I have withdrawn the bonus so that we maintain a clean record of payment of staff salaries. Bauchi state is the only state that does not owe any salary arrears to its workers. That is the truth.

 

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2015: With me as governor, Jonathan can’t lose in Bauchi – Yuguda