PDP Rally: Scanty Crowd Angers Obasanjo

The Peoples Democratic Party organised a campaign rally for President Jonathan yesterday in Lagos. EROMOSELE EBHOMELE AND JAMIU YISA were there

Chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party who attended the campaign rally organised for President Goodluck Jonathan and his running mate, Namadi Sambo did not envisage what they met at the Tafawa Balewa Square yesterday. Perhaps, some of them would not have turned up if they knew they were coming to meet such a scanty crowd.

As early as 9.30am, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, clad in white Agbada, the Lagos cultural hat and the Opambata (the staff usually held by the Eyo masquerade) and Bode George, who left prison few days ago after serving a two-year term in Kirikiri for corruption charges, were already on their seats. They were joined by other members of the party in Lagos State.

But Obasanjo was not happy. The rally was scantily attended while people of the State continued with their daily activities as if nothing was happening. The former President, who could not hold back his anger, was seen complaining to Bode George and quarrelling with organisers of the event. He also advised that those who sat on the stands should be made to come closer to the podium so that the President would not be embarrassed when he arrived.

Other lawmakers who were seen lamenting publicly said the scanty crowd was a result of lack of effective mobilisation. They also expressed fears over what they described as a repeat of what happened in 2007, which later led to the internal crisis that has continued to rock the party.

The event which was earlier scheduled for 10am did not start till 1pm as a result of this. The compere continued to persuade the people to come together. He also informed the scanty crowd that President Jonathan was very close to the venue just to ensure that the few hundreds of Lagosians who were there did not leave in anger.

Controversies that trailed the rally included the statement credited to the State Secretary of the party, Tunji Shelle, at the back of the programme, that the rally was funded by the Minister of Finance, Olusegun Aganga. But when those who got copies of the programme drew the attention of the party’s stakeholders to it, the ushers were immediately ordered to retrieve them and cut out the Minister’s name before distributing them.

Again, when ex-President Obasanjo was called to address the crowd, he started congratulating President Jonathan for winning the election that had not been conducted. He also said: “It is good to repeat good history and not a bad one. Here at this venue, yours sincerely campaigned and won the presidential race in Nigeria. That is good history. Your predecessor campaigned here four years ago and became President of Nigeria. That is good history.

“Having been on this platform, all that remains is to congratulate you. The people are saying ‘carry go’ and I congratulate you again.”

Obasanjo, who said the rally was not meant for too much talk, sang in Yoruba which translated, means that Jonathan must win at all cost as “Obasanjo would not take it lightly for voting to take place without the PDP winning the elections.”

Another controversy was the campaign of the party’s governorship aspirant in the state, Ade Dosunmu, who those in attendance felt went against the court judgement. The court had ruled that Dosunmu should not campaign till the case against him is concluded.

According to Dosunmu, the rally was for the liberation of the people of the state. “Since 1967, when Lagos was created, it has been in the hands of the opposition. Most of the structures in the state are those put in place when Lagos was the capital of Nigeria. Apart from this, there is nothing to show for putting the state in the hands of the opposition.”

Dosunmu, who said the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) led administration in the state had not done anything to benefit Lagosians, tasked them not to allow it continue.

“All we see now are Black Maria, flowers everywhere, but government exists for the people and not the people for the government. We would reduce the burden of taxation, we would give you affordable housing, we are going to end the problem of strikes. Vote Goodluck Jonathan for president and vote Ade Eniafe Dosunmu for Governor,” he said.

Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Aliru Mohammed, while addressing the people, made them understand that Lagos State had not enjoyed federal presence because they were in the hands of the opposition.

“There are so many things the President wants to do but for the resistance of your administrators. You have always had traders and businessmen as your governors.

“Do you want people who would always take 10 per cent of your revenue? Because of the inexperience of your administrators, Lagos has never got what should ordinarily be theirs from the federal government. It is because they want part of the state revenue for themselves; that is why they tax and tax and tax you,” he told the crowd.

Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara, who led some PDP governors to the rally, said the country had 28 governors on the platform of the party and that the state should ensure that they made Lagos part of the family.

The Minister of Power, Nuhu Wya, who described Lagos as the commercial centre of the nation and the third fastest growing city in the world in 2015, added that the federal government was making plans to ensure steady power supply to the state as this would draw more investors.

For the Minister of Finance, Olusegun Aganga, though the people are yet to see it, the nation is currently experiencing a steady growth in the economy. “In the last one month, I have received more than 10 investors who are willing to invest heavily in the economy. In the 2011 budget, Mr. President earmarked N50 billion for job creation.

“The Lagos-Ibadan rail project and the Oshodi-Airport road expansion are still in the pipeline,’ he said.

Minister of Petroleum, Deziani Alison-Madueke, said the prices of petroleum products have remained steady following the insistence of the President that the citizens of the country must not suffer. She also promised that the prices of diesel and kerosene would be looked into.

Vice President Namadi Sambo said that their government was pegged on “education, education, education” which he said they are taking after Tony Blair’s campaign in the United Kingdom.

President Jonathan told the people that he had interest in Lagos State stressing that he frequently visited the state than he does other states of the federation.

“Lagos provides 53 per cent of our economy and no serious leader should overlook it. It is a state that must be taken seriously if we have to meet the dream of the Vision 20-20-20.

“There are quite a number of federal government infrastructure that a number of the committees have been set up to look into.

“We know presently we have security problems but we are looking into this,” he said while tasking the people to vote for Dosunmu so that they can enjoy federal presence.