Thousands of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chieftains from the South West geo-political zone of Nigeria yesterday, gathered at the rally organised by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, at the former Liberty Stadium now Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo Stadium to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid.
Chieftains of the PDP that attended the rally included, Chief Isola Filani (South West National Vice Chairman of (PDP) ; Chief Bode George (Member of B.O.T of the PDP); Rtd Brigade Jones Arogbofa (The Chief of Staff to Mr. President ) ; Hon. Kingsly Kuku (Special Adviser to Mr. President on Niger Delta); Dr. Doyin Okupe (Senior Assistant to President Jonathan on Media).
Others include ,Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (Minister of Agriculture); Jumoke Akinjide (Minister of State FCT Abuja ); Mr. Jelili Adesina (Minister of Police Affairs ); Dr. Segun Aganga (Mnister of Trade and Investment ); Hon. Mulikat Adeola Akande (Majority Leader House of Representative); Chief Shuabu Oyedokun ; Chief Olusola Oke ; Mrs. Bola Doherty.
Many governoship aspirants in Oyo State in 2015 also attended the rally which included Otunba Alao- Akala (Former governor of Oyo State); Professor Soji Adejumo, Engr. Seyi Makinde, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, Senator Teslim Folarin, Ambassador Taofic Arapaja, Senator Ayo Adeseun.
Others at the rally include Senator Iyiola Omisore ( PDP governorship Candidate in August 9th Osun Guber election) : Chief Yekini Adeojo, Senator Hosea Agboola ,Ebenezer Alabi, Otunba Gbenga Daniel( Former governor of Ogun State ) Hon Dayo Adeyeye , Chief Ebenezer Babatope among others.
Ekiti State governor-elect, Peter Ayodele Fayose was conspicuously absent at the rally yesterday.
Though, no reason was given for the absence of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftains at the rally, where it was disclosed that over 1,800,000 people had appended their signatures, asking President Goodluck Jonathan to run again for the 2015 presidency.
The Secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Ayim Pius Ayim at the rally announced that 1.8 million people from the South west had signed the register presented to him by Chief of Staff to Mr. President, Jones Arogbofa on behalf of the south west PDP that President Jonathan should contest for the second term in 2015.
Chief Ayim Pius Ayim, who received the register from Jones Arogbofa further declared that the peoples that endorsed the register did so from the wards adding that he had been informed by the South West Leaders of PDP that collection of the signature will continue after yesterday’s rally.
He said the exercise of signatures compilation for the return of President Jonathan for second term “is an ongoing exercise and similar rallies would be held in all the geo-political zones of the country before the presentation of the overall documents in Abuja next month.”
Before presenting the booklets to the SGF, Arogbofa described the South-West zone as a home to Mr. President, recalling that the zone was the first to adopt him ahead of the 2011 election and urged him not to ignore the call, which he said was a demonstration of love and loyalty to the President.
All the speakers at the rally spoke well about President Goodluck Jonathan saying “he had performed more than any past Nigeria Presidents in the areas of construction of roads, provision of Jobs for young graduates, given priority to the welfare of Nigerians, According Women the position of Honours among others.”