Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party from the southwest region of the country met in Akure, the Ondo state capital on Saturday to develop strategies that would ensure victory for President Goodluck Jonathan in the region in 2015.
They also reached a conclusion that Gen Muhamadu Buhari was not fit to rule Nigeria against the backdrop of his past political antecedents.
In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the leaders stated that, “the change the opposition mouths is indeed a change from democracy to totalitarianism and dictatorship as represented by the presidential candidate of APC, General Muhamadu Buhari.
“That judging by his temperament, political antecedents and intellectual capacity, General Muhamadu Buhari, the APC candidate is unfit to be the president of Nigeria.”
The communique, read by the Ondo state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, commended the President for developing structures and institutions through which the country had evolved cashless financial system, “dismantled the fertilizer corruption cartel, improved food security, democratise access to education through the establishment of additional universities, polytechnics and Al-majiri schools and conduct successfully the 2014 National Conference.”
The meeting agreed to go beyond zonal planning and be more focused in micro planning at the state, local government, ward and polling units levels.
The leaders also noted that conscious efforts should be made to ensure genuine reconciliation of aggrieved party leaders and members towards ensuring that the party approached the presidential and other campaigns in unity.
The meeting held under the aegis of PDP national campaign council also resolved that efforts should be made to educate the people, particularly the younger generation of the history of the main opposition presidential candidate.
Speaking earlier at the opening of the meeting, which lasted for about five hours, Mimiko, said it was high time the PDP leaders rose to challenge the propaganda machinery of the APC.
According to him, Nigeria should not be allowed to regress as the only change being clamoured by the All Progressives Congress and its leaders could only return the country to the dark old days.
Mimiko said the APC presidency would spell doom for the southwest and Yoruba race, saying Gen. Muhammadu Buhari at 72 cannot change and what made him lose in the three previous presidential elections would still repeat itself in the next year general election.
The governor said a Yoruba man was to be Speaker of House of Representatives in 2011 but was denied and the slot given to Northwest geo-political zone with the connivance of the leaders of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria.
He further said the position of Minority Leader in the Senate was to be given to a Yoruba person but was also taken to the North central which already had the senate presidency.
Mimiko argued that a vote for Buhari was a vote against the sensibilities of journalists who were jailed by the military regime and the Yoruba leaders who were sent to jail for being governor of their respective states.
The governor said Jonathan’s presidency had improved the lives of the people based on the United Nation’s report which stated that life expectancy had risen from 42 years to 52 years, just as the income of the average Nigerian had moved from low income to middle income nation.
The meeting had in attendance the Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose, Minister of state for FCT, Jumoke Akinjide, PDP governorship candidate in Osun state, Iyiola Omisore, Oyo state governorship candidate, Teslim Folarin, former Minister of state for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, Senators Lekan Balogun, Hosea Agboola, Ayo Adeseun, Hon Muraina Ajibola.
Others were Alhaji Shuab Oyedokun, Chief Kolapo Ogunjobi, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo, Yinka Odumakin, and Femi Fani-Kayode.
Source: Punch
