PDP vows to drive ‘rascal’ Govs from Lagos and Southwest

IBADAN—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, said it was determined to chase opposition party governors who it termed ‘rascals’ away from all Government Houses in the South West zone.

President Goodluck Jonathan who spoke of the party’s determination at the flag-off of the PDP presidential campaign in the Southwest, said that no stone would be left unturned in the effort to ensure the security of the citizenry.

The well attended rally at the ancient Mapo Hall was, however, boycotted by some prominent PDP chieftains in the zone including Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State, Senate Leader Teslim Folarin and former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinola.

Daniel who is the Southwest Co-ordinator of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation was allegedly prevented from attending the rally by aggrieved protesters who besieged his Sagamu residence to protest the withdrawal of his loyalists from the candidates’ list published by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Text messages of rally’s postponement

Vanguard gathered that Ogun State radio had, Monday night, repeatedly announced that the rally would not hold while text messages were equally sent round to announce its postponement.

Former President Obasanjo who sat next to Speaker Dimeji Bankole ignored the Speaker for the better part of yesterday’s event and when at a point the Speaker attempted a chat with him he was rebuffed.

The speaker who belonged to the Daniel faction of the PDP in Ogun State, however, did not give up his move of appeasement. He finally had the opportunity after collecting the party flag on behalf of House members as he went straight to prostrate to the former President whom he had saluted in his address as ‘Ebora Owu’(an Owu deity). It was only then that he (Obasanjo) smiled and shook hands with him.
Jonathan who was dressed in Yoruba traditional attire was, however, buoyant at the rally pledging that the reverses recently suffered by the party would be reversed.

Describing the South West as the most important zone in the country because of its political antecedents, President Jonathan said the zone was too educated, civilized to be left in the hands of rascals.

Though, he did not mention the name of any person in particular, he stressed that Lagos, as a commercial nerve centre in the country was very important and the party must ensure that it controlled the state after the April polls.

On the three states in the zone  – Ekiti, Ondo and Osun States that have already been taken over by the ACN, he promised that before 2015 when he would steer the ship of the country if given the mandate, all the states in the zone would be taken over by the ruling party.

President Jonathan said: “Lagos is a commercial centre and the ruling party must control the state. We will take over Ekiti, Osun and Ondo States. Before 2015, we will take over the South West. South West is too educated and civilized to be left in the hands of rascals.”

ACN rebuffs President

The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, immediately rebuffed the President’s charge of taking over Lagos and other opposition party controlled states in the Southwest saying that similar things had been said in 2003 and 2007.

State Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, told Vanguard yesterday: “I dey laugh O. Tell am say I dey laugh. PDP said it in 2003 and they said it in 2007 and they are repeating it in 2011. It is not going to work. We believe that our work will speak for us and nobody is taking them serious again.”

He equally rebuffed the assertion of rascals being in control of Lagos saying, “80 per cent of the best of all the professions live in Lagos, certainly they can’t be described as rascals.”

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo justified why he preferred President Jonathan to other aspirants who contested primaries of the party at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

He said it would be proper to give  a sense of belonging to the South South zone, which had suffered neglect and marginalization over the years, so that things can move forward in the country.

Obasanjo said: “With the political history of our country, the unity will be strengthened if a person from the minority group from South_South is given a chance. With the things happening, we have been proved right.”

Jonathan’s tutelage

He, however, warned the party not to take things too lightly. “Nothing should be taken for granted. We do know that there are areas crying for attention _ security, unemployment of youths, corruption and infrastructure. These can’t be neglected. As for me, I take solace in the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan who has gone through the period of tutelage would work.”

Host governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao_Akala, assured the President that since previous presidents who visited the ancient Mapo Hall won their elections, Jonathan’s would not be an exception.

He boasted that it was not possible that he, the president would contest election and lose.
Towards the end of the rally, PDP’s acting National Chairman, Alhaji Bello Haliru Mohammed, who was flanked by the National Vice Chairman, South West, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo handed the party’s flags to Governor Akala, Mr. Adegboyega Dosunmu, Adetunji Olurin as PDP governorship flagbearers for Oyo, Lagos and Ogun States respectively.

Also, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, received the party’s flag on behalf of the candidates for the lower chamber.