DANIEL AT PPN'S RALLY, CANVASSES VOTES FOR JONATHAN, ISIAKA
Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, in Abeokuta, the state capital yesterday appealed to his supporters, who defected to the newly formed Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) not to vote for any presidential candidate other than President Goodluck Jonathan. However, the governor canvassed support for the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (GNI) and his deputy, Mrs. Jokotade Odebunmi, as gubernatorial candidate and running mate of the PPN respectively.
The appearance of the governor at the PPN's rally came as a shock to many political watchers with some of them concluding that Daniel might have dumped the PDP for the PPN even though he still claimed to be PDP's governor.
Although Daniel insisted that he remained in PDP and worked for President Jonathan's re-election, all the candidates in his faction of the PDP, who did not make the Independent Electoral Commission of Nigeria (INEC) list had moved to PPN.
Dressed in a cream coloured lace material, Daniel arrived the venue of the rally, the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, at about 1.15 p.m. to the delight of PPN supporters, who had thronged the stadium as early as 8.30a.m.
Amidst drumming and singing by PPN supporters, deriding those who they said necessitated their leaving PDP, Daniel introduced PPN candidates vying for various offices under the party's platform, including his deputy, Alhaja Salmat Badru.
Daniel told the PPN supporters that he had become an elder statesman, who would support anything good but insisted that he would work harder for the re-election of President Jonathan.
The governor, who spoke in the presence of the leader of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and the National Legal Adviser of the party, Romanus Azusu, said: 'If we see anything good, we must endorse it. What we are witnessing today is good and we must support it. Even though you are not happy, you have declared your support for President Jonathan, we will vote for him because we are working for him. I have come to feed my eyes and my eyes are seeing good things today.'
The PPN gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Gboyega Isiaka, told his supporters that he was on a path of greatness and expressed delight that he had received good signals from all the three zones of the state.
He said: 'The challenge of moving the Gateway state to greatness was not about the generation past, but about generation next.
'I am more than being convinced that we have the capacity and the courage to govern Ogun State more than any other candidates in the race. With your continued support and understanding, we are sure of victory at the polls.'
The National Chairman of the (PPN) said the party was made up of peoples of ideas, who were determined to effect a positive change in the affairs of our country and liberate the people from shackles of oppression by overlords.
'We note that the people of Ogun State have resolved to vote en mass for (PPN) candidates at the local government, state Assembly, National Assembly and governorship elections.