2011 Polls ’ll Define Nigeria’s Future –Jonathan

L-R: Mr kunle Ogunwomojo, Director Farm Support Services Ltd, Mr K. A. Obateru, Manager, Public Affairs, PH Refining Company Ltd, Pastor Lawrence Bereiweriso,Coordinator, Ministry of Employment, Rivers State, Mr Andy Odeh, Manager, Community Relations, NLNG, Siene Allwell-Brown, GM. External Relations, NLNG, HRH Temple M. Jamala, the Omele Odua, Mr Dic-Isotu, Director, Ministry of Youth Dev. Rivers state, and Mr Oluwatoyin Alabi, MD Integrated Catering Company Ltd at the NLNG's Economic Empowerment Day in Port Harcourt last Wednesday..

L-R: Mr kunle Ogunwomojo, Director Farm Support Services Ltd, Mr K. A. Obateru, Manager, Public Affairs, PH Refining Company Ltd, Pastor Lawrence Bereiweriso,Coordinator, Ministry of Employment, Rivers State, Mr Andy Odeh, Manager, Community Relations, NLNG, Siene Allwell-Brown, GM. External Relations, NLNG, HRH Temple M. Jamala, the Omele Odua, Mr Dic-Isotu, Director, Ministry of Youth Dev. Rivers state, and Mr Oluwatoyin Alabi, MD Integrated Catering Company Ltd at the NLNG’s Economic Empowerment Day in Port Harcourt last Wednesday..

President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the 2011 elections were not about his candidature alone, but also the future of the country.

Jonathan said this last Friday night, while speaking during his campaign fund raising dinner in Abuja.

He counseled Nigerians to move beyond the limitations of sectional and parochial interests in order to engender a solid foundation for the progress and development of the country.

Jonathan said the vision for his campaign was rooted in the common desire to deliver a government that would partner with the private sector.

He said that such would complement government’s investments in critical sectors of the economy and fast-track the delivery of quality living conditions for all Nigerians.

The President promised that his administration would not let down the confidence Nigerians reposed in it, as it remained committed to consolidating on its achievements and the on-going programmes of action aimed at transforming the country.

“We are delivering on our promise towards electoral reforms, adequate power supply, and peace in the Niger Delta. On these and other reforms, we will not relent,” he said.

Jonathan complied fully with the provision of the Electoral Act on fund raising by insisting that no individual donor contributed more than N1 million to his presidential campaign.

He also paid glowing tributes to his predecessor, late President Umaru Yar’Adua, while recalling the time he attended such an occasion with him in early 2007, as his running mate.

Jonathan called for a minute’s silence in honour of the late President.

Alhaji Dalhatu Tafida, the Director-General of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation, expressed confidence in the viability of the Jonathan/Sambo ticket, saying that the organisation believed in continuity and stability of the country.

“This is a project that is accepted by all and sundry. The Jonathan/Sambo project is one that will unite us all, and bring development to this country,” he said.

The Chairman of the occasion, Chief Obafoluke Otudeko, in his remarks, said that the mission to support Jonathan was based on his conviction that the President was committed to the rule of law.

He said that any investment towards the Jonathan/Sambo project was “a worthy cause that will guarantee the future and progress of the country”.

Otudeko explained that Nigeria being a major global player with a robust market, abundant resources, and thriving economy, required the collective participation of all Nigerians for change.

He, therefore, called on all Nigerians to join hands in choosing the best leader for the country.

The fund raising dinner was organised by the Jonathan/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation to raise funds for the execution of the president’s campaign for the 2011 presidential elections.

It was attended by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, visiting Kenyan Vice President Kulonzo Musyoka, Senate President David Mark and Speaker of the House of Representatives Dimeji Bankole.

Members of the Federal Executive Council, the National Assembly, party chieftains, captains of industry, business moguls, members of the diplomatic community, and a host of eminent Nigerians from all walks of life, also graced the occasion.

The chief launcher, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, state governors, business moguls Mike Adenuga, Femi Otedola, Jimoh Ibrahim among other donors, complied with the provisions of the Electoral Act by not exceeding N1 million in their personal donations.

The occasion, which was held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, also featured the formal launch of an on-line and SMS donation.

The initiative, The Tide gathered, was to enable Nigerians contribute to the campaign using the mobile GSM and Internet platforms.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the Federal Government was committed and deploying the relevant machinery and resources to address the security challenges in the country.

Jonathan, who made this known at the weekend in Maiduguri, on the occasion of the 21st Convocation ceremony of the University of Maiduguri, said the security situation in the country was giving government great  concern.

“The current attacks on members of security agencies, especially the police, the cases of kidnapping and similar violations of the security of individuals and property cannot continue.

The president, who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo, charged members of security agencies to intensify efforts and confront the security challenges facing the country.

According to him, community leaders, political office holders and civil society organisations must realise that security is a collective responsibility.

Jonathan said that Nigerians must learn to cooperate and provide useful information towards resolving the security issues in the country.

“We must be interested in our individual and collective security. When we take active interest in security matters and support the security agencies, we will be working in the interest of our individual and collective security,” he added.

Jonathan appealed to all Nigerians to be their brother’s and sister’s keeper, saying that “we must learn to embrace one another on the basis of our common humanity and treat each other with respect.

“The shedding of blood in the name of ethno-religious and communal conflicts can no longer be tolerated.

“We must learn to treat one another on the basis of justice and respect for our nation to prosper, grow and be counted among the top 20 economies by the year 2020,” he said.

The President also urged institutions of higher learning across the country to reposition themselves by capitalising on their comparative advantage in both teaching and research.

He maintained that they must raise their global rating and visibility among similar institutions of learning in Africa and globally.

“The University of Maiduguri and other sister universities, must continue to break new frontiers of knowledge in which they have comparative advantage, thereby competing with their peers not only within Africa, but also globally.

“As we aspire to be among the 20 most developed economies by the year 2020, our institutions must play a pivotal role in the drive towards finding solutions to the numerous challenges facing our nation,” Jonathan said.

He said it was encouraging to learn that the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital recently demonstrated that, by performing the first kidney transplant in Nigeria.

Jonathan gave assurance that government would continue to play the role of the facilitator, giving support and encouragement to the universities, teaching hospitals and research institutions to enable them address country’s development challenges.

He reiterated the determination of the government to provide unlimited opportunities for youths to contribute their quota to the development of the country.

The President, therefore, urged the youths to shun vices capable of tarnishing the image of the country.

He stressed the need for them to be reliable partners in the drive to transform Nigeria and make it the pride of not only the African continent but also the black race as a whole.

Jonathan commended the authorities of the University for honoring Vice President Namadi Sambo with an award of a Doctor of Science of the University.

“I join him to dedicate it to the Almighty Allah and to all Nigerians and I assure all that the best is yet to come as far as this administration is concerned,’’ he added.

Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University, Dr Bolanle Babalakin, had expressed appreciation to two members of the National Assembly, for donating their constituency allowances of N300 million for the improvement of water supply and ICT projects in the university.

They are Sen. Kaka Malam Yale and Alhaji Ali Ndume, a member of the House of Representatives.

Babalakin frowned at the persistent warning strikes being embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), saying that such actions were inconsistent with the letter and spirit of the various agreements signed by the parties.

“It is disheartening that this strike is being embarked upon to call attention to certain problems in state universities and not issues concerning federal universities,’’ Bablakin lamented.

Our correspondent reports that Sambo and retired Justice Mustapha Akanbi were conferred with honorary degrees at the convocation.