The former Governor of Anambra State and the Deputy Director General, South of the Jonathan’s Campaign Organization, Mr. Peter Obi has called on Nigerians, for the sake of the unity and progress of the country, to support and vote President Goodluck Jonathan for the second term. He argued that besides the facts that Jonathan has done well to merit a re-election, that the socio economic dynamics of the country demands that we allow the South-South exhaust their 8 years. Obi was speaking at the meeting of the laity of Nigeria at the Pope John Paul 11 Centre, Abuja.
Obi who recalled the wisdom among the elderly men of Nigeria in allowing a South- Westerner to become the president after the death of Chief Moshood Abiola, said that the same wisdom was needed today, as, according to him, four more years and its benefit to a country was better than four more years of confusion.
Speaking on the benefits of peace, Obi, who lauded late President Umaru Yar’Adua for the wisdom in packaging the amnesty deal said that before the deal, Nigeria produced about 700 million barrels of oil and has been producing about 2.2 Million barrels since after the deal.
While answering questions on the specific qualities that endear jonathan to Nigerians, Obi said: ‘President Goodluck Jonathan has characteristics required among leaders. He is patient and infinitely ready to listen; he is tolerant; he is humble, and above all he has untainted patriotic credentials. He also has age going for him. You know that being a president involves a lot of mental energy and we must accept that at certain age, no matter one’s personal integrity, he is limited in his mental and physical capabilities.”
Cautioning Nigerians not to be deceived by the cry for change, Obi reminded them that what Nigeria needs now is not the type of change witnessed in Egypt, Libya or Iraq, but the sustenance of the change already begun in many sectors. He gave example with education, where he said that Jonathan built 14 new universities and had through commitment to the sector, improved the country’s performance in WAEC and NECO from 25% to over 50%. He also reeled out long list of roads rehabilitated across the country and submitted that no past Government in Nigeria did what Jonathan was able to do in 4 years.
Defending the fall of the naira, Obi said it was a world-wide phenomenon caused by the fall in the price of petroleum. He said that Nigeria was one of the least affected oil-producing countries because through Jonathan’s commitment to agriculture, Nigeria’s food import was reduced by 50%.
Speaking on the benefits of peace, Obi, who lauded late President Umaru Yar’Adua for the wisdom in packaging the amnesty deal said that before the deal, Nigeria produced about 700 million barrels of oil and has been producing about 2.2 Million barrels since after the deal.
While answering questions on the specific qualities that endear jonathan to Nigerians, Obi said: ‘President Goodluck Jonathan has characteristics required among leaders. He is patient and infinitely ready to listen; he is tolerant; he is humble, and above all he has untainted patriotic credentials. He also has age going for him. You know that being a president involves a lot of mental energy and we must accept that at certain age, no matter one’s personal integrity, he is limited in his mental and physical capabilities.”
Cautioning Nigerians not to be deceived by the cry for change, Obi reminded them that what Nigeria needs now is not the type of change witnessed in Egypt, Libya or Iraq, but the sustenance of the change already begun in many sectors. He gave example with education, where he said that Jonathan built 14 new universities and had through commitment to the sector, improved the country’s performance in WAEC and NECO from 25% to over 50%. He also reeled out long list of roads rehabilitated across the country and submitted that no past Government in Nigeria did what Jonathan was able to do in 4 years.
Defending the fall of the naira, Obi said it was a world-wide phenomenon caused by the fall in the price of petroleum. He said that Nigeria was one of the least affected oil-producing countries because through Jonathan’s commitment to agriculture, Nigeria’s food import was reduced by 50%.
