I'LL END DISCRIMINATION, MARGINALISATION -JONATHAN
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in Owerri, the Imo State capital promised not to discriminate against any Nigerian if elected in the April polls, just as he vowed to end marginalization in the country. The president made this promise at the flag-off of his campaign in Imo State held at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri.
Jonathan, who was accompanied to the rally by his Deputy, Alhaji Namadi Sambo and other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwarts insisted that it was his aspiration that no Nigerian, no matter his or her creed and ethnicity was discriminated against again.
He said he was committed to reforming the economy of the country as the Nigerian population is composed of high proportion of youths whose ages are below 19 years.
He, therefore, said there was need to adequately prepare for the youths otherwise the nation would be faced with crisis in the next one decade.
His words: 'We assure you that we will transform the economy of this nation because we believe that Nigeria with about 150 million people and out of this 70 per cent are under the age of 30 and 50 per cent under 19 years, so we must prepare this teeming youths, otherwise in the next 10 years we will have crisis in our hands.'
He said that was partly the reason they wanted to promote agriculture and build power plants in the country.
He noted that the South-east region had a lot of dynamic men and women who only needed a conducive environment to continue to move in their areas of endeavour.
Jonathan insisted there was need for a conducive atmosphere to be created for the people of Imo State to adequately harness their potentials. He also disclosed that he was working closely with the governors of the South-east towards ending the menace of gully erosion in the region.
He, however, said for them to realize the promises made the people of the state must vote for the PDP.
He told the Imo people to return Governor Ohakim as he still needs to work with him. Governor Ikedi Ohakim in his remarks said politics was not played on the pages of the newspapers; saying that from what was on the ground, President Jonathan had no opponents in the April polls. Governor Ikedi Ohakim said: 'I want to be quoted, I want to be challenged with live discussion, debate why Jonathan has no opposition in this election.
'Jonathan has almost all the local governments (774), two-third of all the governors, 90 per cent of all the businessmen in Nigeria, 99 per cent of all the youths, and if all these people are with him who will be against him. We must campaign to fulfill all righteousness.' The governor assured the president that the people of his state would vote for him just like the state delegates did at Eagle Square during the primaries.
PDP stalwarts at the rally included: the National Chairman, Bello Mohammed, Governor Theodore Orji, Interior Affairs Minister, Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho, Labour Minister, Emeka Wogu, Amb. Kema Chikwe, Emeka Ihedioha, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Dr. Walter Afonagoro, Senator Osita Izunaso, Deputy Governor Ada Okwuonu, Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu and many others.