1st February, 2015
President Goodluck Jonathan has promised more development for the people of Kaduna State if re-elected for a second term in the Feb. 14 presidential election.
Jonathan made the pledge on Saturday in Kaduna when he paid a courtesy call on the Kaduna State Council of Emirs and Chiefs, led by the Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris, in continuation of the PDP presidential election rally.
He said Kaduna people were major beneficiaries of the revamped railways sector and would be among the first set of commuters to enjoy the modern rail line between Abuja and Kaduna.
“We are here to inform the people of Kaduna to give us a second mandate of four years to continue our transformation programmes to a reasonable level.
“You cannot complete developing a nation within 100 years but we believe that if we are given another four years, most of our projects will get to a level where it will not go backward again.”
The president sought the blessings of the royal fathers for PDP’s success in the forthcoming polls and acknowledged their prayers and goodwill during the 2011 polls.
“In 2011, we came to you and you prayed for us with other royal fathers.
“Your royal highness when I am with you, I always feel very much at home because you take me as your own son.
“You treat me very well as well as your son, the vice president ( who is also your son) and we are like Siamese twins, working together.
In his remarks, Idris said the royal fathers were unanimous in their appeal for a hitch-free, fair and credible elections and for the understanding of all political actors to respect the rule of law.
He advised politicians to avoid religion and ethnicity in their electioneering campaigns and urged INEC to ensure timely distribution of elections materials.
The monarch also appealed to security agencies to provide adequate security to election officials and reiterated his call for Kaduna indigenes to eschew violence before, during and after the polls.