Obanikoro makes U-turn, canvasses support for Jonathan, Agbaje
The immediate past Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, hosted his supporters and party leaders at his campaign office in Lagos yesterday, where he charged them on the need to get down to work and win the forthcoming election for President Goodluck Jonathan and Mr. Jimi Agbaje.
He urged them to forget the pains of the past and move on with determined zeal to ensure victory for the party at all levels.
The former minister also used the opportunity to plead with the supporters not just to ensure that Jonathan wins, but also that Agbaje becomes governor.
'The presidential election is a must-win for PDP and not just for PDP, but for Nigeria. You all know I am a player at the national level, at the state level and at the local level. The presidential election is a national issue and for the good of our country, President Jonathan must continue and PDP must win Lagos because it is extremely crucial to Mr. President.
'So you and I will not rest until we have won. Let me also assure you today that Lagos is winnable, but we have to be strategic about it. Those who fail to plan, plan to fail,' he said.
At your level and at our level, all of us must sit down and put on our thinking cap. Just don't wait for instructions anymore. Get down to work now because election is won at the polling booths and not at the State or at the Federal campaign offices. So, I cannot defend your polling booth for you. You must devise a means by which the party must win all the elections.'
He assured that before the end of next week, the group would create a call centre that will be man by people from different ethnic groups to take calls and complaints and urged the people to get their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and be prepared to vote.
'When Buhari was in his 40's, he couldn't govern Nigeria. Buhari was Number 1, a Muslim; Idiagbon Number 2, a Muslim; Chief of Air Staff and Chief of Army Staff were Muslims. They were all Muslims. We don't want that kind of Nigeria anymore. We want a Nigeria where everyone will have a sense of belonging. We have seen it all and we know that Buhari does not have the capacity to build Nigeria of our dream.'
Obanikoro urged them to be committed to the project of ensuring victory for President Jonathan and Jimi Agbaje and all candidates of State House of Assembly, Senatorial and Federal House of Representatives. Agency report