THE SPONSORED ANTI-JONATHAN PROTESTS IN SOME PARTS OF NORTHERN NIGERIA

Our attention has been drawn to the unfortunate news of protests and demonstrations by some groups in the North in the wake of the overwhelming triumph of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the recently concluded PDP Presidential Primaries.

Although we are a non-partisan group, we would like to use this opportunity to congratulate the PDP for the transparent manner in which the election was conducted.

Millions of Nigerians stayed awake to watch the election proceedings and indeed all progressives, both from PDP and other parties have attested to the orderliness and transparency of the elections.

We also wish to express our profound gratitude to the delegates who looked beyond religious and ethnic lines to stand for a progressive and united Nigeria.

We are therefore deeply disturbed by the recent spate of sponsored protests against an exercise that should ordinarily draw accolades from all lovers of peace, due process, progress and equity.

We are particularly worried about the poor masses who allowed themselves (though ignorantly in most cases) to be used by anti-progressive elements bent on clogging the wheel of progress.

For too long now, disadvantaged and the poor in Northern Nigeria have for decades now, been continually manipulated and shortchanged by the same elite anti-progressive elements of the North. No, not this time! Not Anymore!!

We condemn in its entirety, the recent sponsored skirmishes and demonstrations in Bauchi and some parts of Kaduna.

It is very obvious that the sponsors of these circus demonstrations are unscrupulous elements whose sole intent is to cause a breakdown of the enduring peace enjoyed in these places.

Their aim is to use these reports of civil unrest to drive devious political programmes.

We hereby state categorically that these protests are not a reflection of the state of mind, temperament, wishes and aspirations of the good people of Northern Nigeria.

The people of Northern Nigeria who have been co-travelers and sojourners in the One-Nigeria Project have decided to say NO to the old order that have left the region in deep poverty, abject neglect and despicable squalor.

We also wish to draw the attention of the peace loving northerners to ignore the inciting text messages with religious and sectional undertone being circulated around; these are the handy work of some politicians whose only excellence is in playing sectional and religious politics that must be relegated to our dismal past as a nation.

The progressive Northerners have decided to stand by a candidate that will liberate us from this quagmire and ensure that the amazing resources of this great nation trickle down to every home.

We have decided to stand by a candidate who will get the best out of our Agricultural Sector; a candidate who will revive our textile industry; a candidate that will ensure our children have the right education; a candidate that will ensure affordable access to health care; a candidate that will put the region and indeed the whole nation back to work. President Jonathan has proved that he is that candidate and has been rightly endorsed by the delegates of PDP.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan means well for this nation. Within his short period in office, he has embarked on remarkable projects in the region that will set the ball rolling for the massive development of the North and indeed the Nigerian state. Looking at the achievements of this administration in just over 8 months, one will be tempted to say that President Jonathan is even more Pro-north than the typical Northern elite. Some of the Projects embarked upon by President Jonathan within the past few months include:

· The resuscitation of our textile industries in the north thereby re-employing thousands of workers who were jobless before now.

· Approval of 6 new federal universities with three of them in Northern States

· President Jonathan has promised to support the Almajiri School system hence the curriculum be made to include basic education so that our young ones who have been hitherto neglected can be adequately equipped to face the challenges ahead. This is a big respite for our Almajiris who have been so neglected even by their own elites.

· We have witnesses the lifting of the ban on the importation of textiles, furniture and automobiles of up to 15 years. These are businesses run mainly by northerners.

· In a sincere effort to solve the power projects, President Jonathan has in his short stay commissioned several projects in the power sector such as the 330/132/33 VA Kumbotso Transmission Substation (ending 32 years of no investment in electricity generation and distribution in Kano), 150 MVA 330/132 KV Power Transformer in Kaduna, etc.

· Three new Refineries to be built with one in a Northern State.

Finally we wish to reassure Nigerians that the Presidency of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Vice-President Mohammed Namadi Sambo is a truly One-Nigeria Presidency that will benefit the farmer in Shinkafi village of Zamfara state as well as the fisher man in Okrika village of Rivers state.

Let us all come together and put an end to these obsolete and myopic minded selfish politicians of yesteryears who have perpetually denied the ordinary man in the north the dividends of democracy to his selfish interest. Let us vote for a new Nigeria devoid of sectional and religious borders by voting massively for Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo in the April polls.

SAI JONATHAN!
LET'S GO THERE!!!
SIGNED:

MOHAMMED DANJUMA
LEADER NORTHERN ZONE


SIMON IDOKO
COORDINATOR N/CENTRAL

FOR “THE JONATHAN PROJECT”
Website: www.thejonathanproject.info
Email: [email protected]