Obasanjo Declares Zoning “Alive” As President Jonathan Rounds Off Campaign

President Goodluck Jonathan drew curtain on his campaign for the Nigerian presidency in the polls scheduled for next month with a grand rally in Abuja today with former President Olusegun Obasanjo declaring that the principle of zoning is alive in the ruling  Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.  The President had in the past 37 days taken  his campaign to the 36 states of the country.

Security was tight at the Abuja mega rally today as men of the State Security Services, the Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps scanned party supporters who wanted to enter into the arena with metal detectors while heavily armed police officers kept watch at the venue of the rally.

A Police helicopter hovered over Eagles Square  while the rally lasted.   The campaign rally, though had fewer people attending  than in similar rallies held in the same venue in the past was not less colourful.  Musicians and actors like Kanayo Kanayo, Bongus Ikwe and Onyeka Onwenu added colour to the event. Large inflatable balloons of Jonathan dressed in the traditional South-south kaftan floated over Eagle Square, further adding colour to the ceremony.

Also, all the governors elected on the platform of  PDP and gubernatorial candidates of the party were present and mounted the rostrum to assure the president that they will deliver their various states to him in the presidential polls, while also ensuring that other candidates of the party were also elected.

Governor Gabriel Suswan of Benue State for instance promised the President and his running mate, Vice President Namadi Sambo that he will deliver two million out of the 2.3 million votes of the State to him. “In you President Goodluck Jonathan we have our own Barack Obama,” Godswill Akpabio, of Akwa Ibom, State said even as he thanked the people from the other five regions of the country for “accepting a son of the South-south”.

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State declared at the rally that the election is not just about the President, but about equity. Governor Alao Akala of Oyo State promised that the President will come tops at the polls not only in his state, but also in the entire South West.

Other Governors spoke in the same vein.

The most significant speech at the event was the one made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo who is also the chairman of PDP Board of Trustees. Significantly, the former President used the speech entitled the “Nigerian Dream” to address the controversial issue of zoning that has turned some prominent members against the party.

The former President revealed that three leading members,  former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar  and General Aliyu Mohammed had at the BOT meeting of PDP last Saturday asked if “zoning” as a principle guiding the allocation of political offices and elective positions is dead in the PDP.  Obasanjo said he was mandated at that occasion to answer the question and he promised that he will give the appropriate reply the next day.

The former President said he has given the appropriate answer to Babangida for transmission to the other two who asked the question on zoning, but he had also promised that he will publicly speak on the issue at the grand rally.

Obasanjo declared that he is a believer in zoning and federal character principles. He backed up his claims with what he did on the two occasions he has had the opportunity of influencing the choice of his successor in the past.

The former President said on both occasions, he “never took the easy and destabilising route of ethnic, regional or religious consideration”.

According to him, he rather “took the enduring route of national, uniting and stabilising route”. “I worked for both President Shagari and President Yar`Adua to succeed me not just because they are Moslems, Northerners or Hausa-Fulani, but because they can strengthen the unity, stability and democracy in Nigeria. “We incurred the displeasure of ethnic chauvinists for doing what was right for the country. “That is the nature of leadership. A leader must lead, no matter whose ox is gored.’’ Obasanjo noted.

The former President said PDP should be praised for being the only party in the country that had  enshrined in its constitution the principles of  federal character, zoning and rotation of political offices and elective positions.

He said this has made it possible to predict the zone that will produce a particular zone that will occupy a particular office at a particular time. “I do not know who will be president of the country after Dr Goodluck Jonathan. But with PDP policy and practice, I can reasonably guess from where, in terms of section of the country the successor to Jonathan will come from and no internal democracy or competition will be destroyed. , the former President said while quickly emphasizing that as far as PDP is concerned “Zoning is very much alive, it is not dead, it was only suspended for the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan and will be re-introduced after Jonathan presidency.”

He however called for support for President Jonathan in the interest of national unity and cohesion, in view of the manner of his ascension to the office. While giving full endorsement to the candidature of President Jonathan for the 2011 presidency, President Obasanjo said “electing Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in his own right and on his own merit as the next president of Nigeria will enhance and strengthen our unity and democracy. It will lead us to the achievement of our collective dream.”

He also warned against what he called the resort to “sentiments, emotions of religion and regionalism” in the campaign for political offices which he described as “self-serving, unpatriotic and mischievous”.

“It is also preying on a dangerous emotive issues that can ignite uncontrollable passion and can destabilise, if not destroy our country”, he added. The former President said the resort to emotive issues is also a negation of the “sacrifices others have made in the past for unity, stability and democracy in Nigeria in giving up their lives, shedding their blood, and in going to prison.’’

The PDP Board of Trustee Chairman said while he had been personally  involved in the two scenarios, adding he is ready to do the “third if it will serve the best interest of the Nigerian dream.’’

In his own speech, President Jonathan promised that he will transform all areas of the Nigerian economy and in the process create thousands of jobs. The President promised a revolution in the power and the petroleum industry that will result in creation of jobs. He also promised that government is serious about reviving the power sector. Jonathan promised that there will be a vast improvement in power supply to Nigerians when the National Independent Power Plants being constructed begin to come on stream in the next six months while the rehabilitation of the railways which is already yielding the desired fruit will be continued.

“Everywhere we campaigned, the message was clear and loud. It was that Nigerians want to remain a united and strong nation. Our people want leaders that are more concerned about their welfare. They want servant leaders who will put the interest of the nation first beyond their self interest. Our people want jobs so that they can put food on the table for their families, affordable healthcare and good quality education.

“We are dedicated to creating an inclusive society where there would be jobs and abundant economic activities for our people. Our plan for building inclusiveness is not only about job creation but financial increase for all Nigerians as well as strengthening the framework for social security to protect the poorest and most vulnerable people in our society.”

He said steps are already being taken to tackle the unemployment trend in the country including various ongoing public works activities which will create a million and half jobs in few years as well as the recent plan to build petrochemical and fertilizer plants across the country which will fetch about one million jobs for the nation’s youths with full application of the Nigerian Content Law.

President Jonathan said modern technology will be employed by government to tackle current security challenges in the country, adding that the security of the lives and property of all Nigerians remains paramount to his administration.

“ Neither my ambition or that of any politician is worth the blood of any Nigerian. I call on our youths not to allow themselves to be used by politicians who have sent their children abroad or locked them up in mansions.  There will be no sanctuary for criminals in Nigeria as the law enforcement agents are ready to take on criminality in full force. Anyone found wanting will face the law,” the president said.

The president restated government’s zero tolerance to corruption, stressing that the anti-corruption commissions are being strengthened to fulfill their mandate of curbing corruption in the society.

President Jonathan said a formidable educational system is key to rapid national development, and pledged to tackle the inadequacies of the nation’s educational system through a Special Task Force that has been formed to ensure implementation of recommendations from the special education summit. He also promised promote learning and skill acquisition by ensuring that every state of the Federation has a degree awarding institution.

On the oil and gas sectors, the president said government will continue to add value to the nation’s petroleum resources as Nigeria will soon be exporting refined crude and gas, and not just producing. He said this informed the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between government and major private sector investors to build petrochemicals and fertilizer plants worth 25 billion USD in parts of the country.

The president said government is rehabilitating dams and irrigation systems across the nation to boost commercial agriculture. He said government will not rest on its oars in improving national infrastructure, pledging that federal road networks, railways and waterways will receive utmost attention.

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