2015: Northern Youths Vow To Mobilise Support For Jonathan

Northern Youths, under the umbrella body of Arewa Youth Integrity Forum has promised to mobilise 20 million youths across the 19 northern states for President Goodluck Jonathan’s second-term bid.

They commended the President for his visit to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital last week, describing it as a bold step.

The youths, in a statement issued by its national president, Hamid Usman, on Sunday in Abuja described Jonathan as a statesman who was sympathetic to the plight of his followers, commending his courage and bravery.

They described the courage shown by the president in “travelling to Maiduguri which is seen as a hotbed for crisis as not only commendable but exemplary for all intending leaders.”

While expressing their support for the second-term bid of the President, the group said Jonathan had proved that he had what it takes to drive Nigeria to the next level, having defeated the local content of insurgency and ready to fight the foreign elements that had joined insurgents to make Nigeria ungovernable for the citizenry.

Sokoto Youths Sweep Jonathan, PDP Leaders Out-of- state

Hundred of youths took to the street near the palace of the Sultan of the northern Nigerian city of Sokoto, to carry out a symbolic sweeping of the floor.

It was shortly after President Goodluck Jonathan and his entourage left the Sultan’s palace to Shehu Kangiwa Square today to hold a rally.

Malam Ibrahim Musa, one of the sweepers said the exercise was to demonstrate to the PDP leaders that the people of the state are bent on ensuring total victory for the APC Presidential Candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari. ”

You can see things for your self. Mr President just passed and we youths mobilize ourselves to clear our area for peace,progress and political growth of our country,” he said Another sweeper, Alhaji Abdullahi Isa described the symbolic sweeping of the roads as a clear indication that Nigerians need a change of leadership direction.

“Nothing seem to be moving hence the need for well meaning Nigerians to support the cause of political change being championed by the progressives,” he said.

He said that no one asked the youths to sweep the road, adding that they came out to demonstrate that they were tired of the maladministration of the PDP led government.

” I have three graduates in my house. No work for them. He said. He said that PDP should forget Sokoto and indeed the northwest because the people have spoken their minds.

”Mr President, don’t listen to failed politicians who have nothing to offer ” he said. The President had earlier paid a courtesy visit on Sultan Saad Abubakar at his palace where he promised to accord priority to the provision of modern farming inputs and education in the state.

He said that the PDP led administration will continue to accord great respect to Sultanate council as well as traditional rulers for the useful contribution towards promoting peaceful coexistence.

Jonathan also informed Sultan Abubakar that he was in Sokoto to formally present the party candidates before their teeming supporters.

He said that the candidates if elected will meet the expectation of electorates in ensuring good democratic governance.

Sultan Abubkar told President Jonathan that the federal government should do more in confronting the present security challenges facing the country.

He said that muslims must be seen practicing their religion in a peaceful atmosphere and this would only by possible if the federal government introduce stringent security measures that would gurantee the safety of all and sundry at home, the places of worship and public places.

Fashola To Jonathan: "You Failed, Not Me!"

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Tuesday, publicly disagreed with President Goodluck Jonathan over the statement that his generation has failed Nigeria, saying "You (Jonathan) failed Nigeria because my generation did not fail this country."

According to Vanguard, President Jonathan made the statement last Thursday while addressing youth at the flag-off of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP campaign held at the Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS Lagos.

Fashola however reacted at the 2015, First Quarter of the Town Hall meeting with stakeholders in the transportation sector held in Agidingbi, Ikeja, which also had in attendance Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and others.

President Jonathan and Gov Babatubde Fashola of Lagos The governor urged Jonathan to accept responsibility over his failure to address the challenges confronting the nation over the last six years of his administration rather than point accusing fingers to past leaders, "late President Musa Yar 'Adua's short tenure was better than that of this administration."

Fashola said; "He (Jonathan) said his generation has failed, he should account for himself because I refuse to join the generation the President was referring to.

According to him, "He is in his 50s, I am also in my 50s, and we appear to be, because I don't even want to join that generation because my own generation has not failed, I have done well on my job and I am proud to say so. If he has failed, let him account for himself, he should not join us".

Seven years ago, they started with Vision 2020 but later they said that they are transforming. And all these have yielded no result. And that was why they have stopped working.

On Boko Haram He lamented that the situation in the North-East region of the country was pathetic because citizens have become refugees in their father land due to the inability of the present administration to tame the Boko Haram insurgency.

“And rather than the President using the recent campaign in Lagos to gain the support of the citizens the president was busy telling you they tried to kill him four years ago and we did not know.

That is a serious national security issue because nobody wants our Commander in Chief dead. If anybody tries to kill him, we should have known.

And if I was Commander in Chief, and the person who tries to kill me is in a South African jail, I will ask that he should be repatriated to Nigeria to come and face punishment. “ He (Jonathan) also claimed that General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) didn’t buy arms in 1985.

And after Buhari left office, the Nigeria army got recognition for their role in protecting West Africa and was the guns bought 30 years ago be effective to fight today’s insurgency.” Fashola added that President Jonathan made the statements to gain the sympathy of the electorate and woo them ahead of the presidential election.

He said: “In 2011, it was no shoes, now he is saying they tried to kill him, it won’t work this time. This time it is the job record, the promise that you must look at”.