By Dayo Johnson
AKURE — DEFENCE Minister, Adetokunbo Kayode, said weekend that the alleged gang-up by the North against the aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan was an imagination of some Nigerians.

Speaking with newsmen in Akure at the official opening of the Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organization office, Kayode said there was no gang-up against the President by the North.

The Minister who was responding to a question on the chances of President Jonathan despite the gang- up against him by the Northerners said “let me correct this, there is no such gang-up. At the fund raising dinner organised for President Goodluck Jonathan there were more interests from the North.

“Considering the donations and attendance from the North, You will realise that the North even wants good government, they want Goodluck we have gone beyond the politics of ethnicity, division, politics of ganging up, so I don’t believe and I will never subscribe to it that the North is ganging up against the President, they are working for Jonathan they are not ganging up against him.

“The leader of his campaign is Ambassador Tafida, he is coming here tomorrow, he is going round the South West so everybody is for Goodluck in the East, far North and the South West will not be different because we can never stay back when everybody is moving forward, we want progress in SouthWest, we want progress for Nigeria and the future is Goodluck.

Speaking on security in the country, the Minister said “The port issue is under investigation. It will not be fair to talk about it, but the important thing we should understand is that those things did not enter into our states and thereafter into our towns because it was discovered at the port.

This shows that at least to an extent our security is working, I am not saying it is perfect because there is a lot to be done and government is thinking very seriously so let us leave that issue at that because it is still under investigation.

“But talking about security in the country today the Federal Government is implementing a very robust Police reform agenda. They have put in more than N100 billion to give the Police all they need in terms of training, equipment and other logistic support to make this country safe.

“We are glad today to  say we are planning to have a community policing  whereby you will know your Police and your Police will know you and can know those who are about to cause trouble.

“The same thing for the armed forces. The government is also pursuing a transformation agenda within the armed forces and giving them funding and of course that’s why Mr. President posted me there because he knows what I can do.

“ I can assure you that very soon you will see how we will roll out our plans to ensure that this country is safer and that’s what’s going to happen.

On the cambat readiness of the Armed Forces, the Minister said You can judge the level of combat readiness in two ways.

“Firstly, one regime abroad under the Peace keeping operations Nigeria is the fourth largest peace keeping country in the world they are serving us well with pride, courage and dignity.

“I tell you that in terms of foreign operations they are doing very well which shows they are combat ready. For instance when they had challenges in Abia recently when the spate of kidnapping went beyond the power of the Police our men moved there and within 24 hours the set peace there. Now peace has returned to Abia state.

“Also the Boko Haram in Maiduguri when the matter was coming up few weeks ago the soldiers moved in there. The same thing in the Niger Delta, the JTF in Niger Delta, they have restored peace in Niger Delta.  I will tell you that even though we have problem with transformation which the government is already handling, which we had already keyed into in funding, our armed forces are doing well.

“They would do well with more support from government which they are getting and they are doing well and I am very proud of them.

On the chances of the President winning in the South West, Kayode said” If you are talking of the politics of the Presidency, it differs from the politics of the state. Everybody in the southwest, in this country, in Ondo state that I know  is solidly behind Goodluck who is the alternative?.

“Honestly look at it, do we have any other alternative. Do we want to choose people who destroyed this country or almost destroyed this country? This is the cleanest presidential candidate we can ever have.

“ Tell me someone who can say he has anything against Jonathan, Aside from his name that we all need nobody will say Goodluck Jonathan has done anything wrong to him and or that he has a

bad pedigree, He has great pedigree that he has actually given to us by fate, destiny, by God who wants this country to move forward.

“So his chances are brighter than ever before even Ondo state where Labour Party (LP) is temporarily in control everybody had keyed  into Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign. The state is totally different from the local politics.

“It observes the new leadership, the new Nigeria, the transformation, the hope that we expect. Goodluck is the Obama of Nigeria and that is what will happen come next year by the grace of God.

“We will set up his new government and we will move forward and we will actually achieve our greatness it is coming after our 50 years. You know in life if you have clocked 50 and you have not succeeded that’s the end but this time around God wants  to show that He created

Nigeria for a purpose which shows that God loves Nigeria which He decided that after we clock 50 He gave us a President  that will fulfill the purpose of this country.

On free and fair election, the Minister said “I can assure you with the promise of Mr. President we shall  be having a free and fair election where every body is going to count not election by judiciary but the election of the people for them next year would definitely would be victorious and there is enthusiasm of all the people of Ondo state in support of this very  campaign.

“Today we have a very credible INEC chaired by Professor Athairru Jega whom everybody agreed even the opposition agreed that his a good choice.
“President Goodluck was not forced to pick Jega but he did voluntarily on his own because he knows his a good choice a choice people will key into it and Nigerians have keyed

into it because Nigerians need good leadership which is very important, it’s the key thing and that’s what Goodluck Jonathan represents good leadership, and preaching something and doing it.

“He has put in a credible INEC, secondly he has ensured that INEC is properly funded directly, No more delay about their funding and also putting everything they need at their disposal. In addition to that, the President has opened the doors for the international monitors, from EU, UN,to come and look at what we are doing, and even now  the preparations every where he has gone to.

“He has repeatedly said next year we are going to have a free and fair credible election and everybody is going to count