President Goodluck Jonathan has promised to transform Nigeria into a first world country by applying the same techniques used by counttries who were on the same level with Nigeria in the past but have since moved on.
Jonathan was speaking at his presidential campaign rally which held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, where he addressed thousands of supporters who filled the stadium.
The president was accompanied by the Peoples’ Democratic Party(PDP) Board of Trustees chairman, Chief Anthony Anenih, Minister of Works, Arc Mike Onolememen, a director of his campaign team, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, business guru, Captain Hosa Okunbor and a host of other PDP stalwarts.
Addressing the crowd, the president who spoke in Pidgin and English decried the factors that militate against the country, debying it the opportunity to excel with its peers like Malaysia and Singapore. He promised that his government was on the path to building on the legacies of the nation’s founding fathers, and ensuring that the country meets up with the other nations.
He informed: “Singapore was at the same level with Nigeria but today, Singapore is a first world country. That is transformation. Young ones go to Ghana to study, because our schools were considered substandard. But we have opened14 new universities, as a way to encourage our people to become more educationally proficient. It is also to ensure that there are enough schools in the country to teach our children”.
He however said that despite his desire to ensure education gets to as many people as possible, talents and crafts are also going to receive major boost in his coming government, as everyone will be carried along by the coming administration: “We encourage the sports people, actors and musicians. Whatever you know how to do, we encourage you. We will build schools to discourage crimes”.
He also described the ‘change’ slogan of the major opposition party as defective and old fashioned, as the same people clamouring for change rejected it when he sought to rewriting the constitution of the country: “We are rewriting our constitution in order to transform Nigeria. Note that when we went to rewrite that constitution, one party refused to go. Are they the ones that will transform Nigeria?”
Earlier, the Minister for Works, Onolememen, who is also from Edo State reeled out the numerous achievements of the president.
Three principal officers of the Adams Oshiomhole government, Commisioner for Works, Mr Donald Boi, Commisioner for Investment, Dennis Idahosa, and an executive director, resigned and joined the PDP at the rally.
Earlier, the president had paid a courtesy visit to the Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa, where they were received by the Iyasere and other palace chiefs.
