Dame Jonathan in Owerri, moves to justify husband’s re-election bid, Receives 2,000 APC, APGA decamping women

THE wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience, on Friday at the 25,000 sitting capacity Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, Imo State, said her husband has offered quality dividend of democracy to Nigerians in the past years he has been on the saddle of leadership, urging women and electorate in Imo State to cast their votes in the March 28 polls for the President to complete his second term. She also canvassed for votes from the Imo electorate to usher in the Deputy House of Representatives Speaker and the Imo state People’s Democratic Party (PDP), governorship standard bearer, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, in the April 11 governorship polls, among others.   

Also, the President’s wife received more than 2,000 women who decamped from the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in the state.

Mrs. Jonathan from 1.55 p.m to 2.45 p.m, who was on the women campaign in Imo State, came in company of the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Amina Sambo, wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Helen Mark, wife of the Deputy Senate President, Mrs. Nwanneka Ekwerenmadu, wife of the governor of Abia state, Mrs. Orji, former Minister of Aviation and Transport, Dr. Kema Chikwe, Minister of State for Education; and Imo State Deputy Coordinator, PDP presidential campaign, Prof. Viola Adaku Onwuliri, the Imo State PDP Presidential campaign Coordinator, Chief Chike Udenwa, wife of the immediate past governor of Imo State, Mrs. Chioma Ohakim, Imo State chairman of the PDP, Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie, wife of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Ebere Ihedioha, former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, the Director General of the Women Development Centre, Onyeka Onwenu, Senators Chris Anyanwu and Hope Uzodinma, the President of the National Council for Women Society, Mrs. Nkechi Mba, among others, warned that the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including the presidential candidate, Gen.- Muhammadu Buhari, has nothing to offer the nation to warrant his seeking election to get back to the Presidential villa after his sojourn in military incursion between 1983 and 1984.

 Her words mixed with English, pidgin and Igbo said: “What are you going to do if you did not perform before when you were there. They should tell Nigerians what they have done when they were president. I can tell what Goodluck has performed. We don’t tell lie. We say what we can do; we say what we have done… Imo women, this is time to pay back. Goodluck has done a lot. Goodluck has wiped our tears… Make una ask APC whether na liar.

 “Goodluck said no woman should die while giving birth and he has increased it to 50 per cent. Go and challenge me to that. Goodluck came and he gave us one Nigeria. Who else are you going to vote for. What we want is peace… When you go home, tell your sister, tell your mother, tell your brother that the APC has nothing to offer.”

She regretted that the regime of the APC presidential candidate witnessed rampant imprisonment of prominent Igbo sons, including a former old Anambra state governor, Chief Jim Nwobodo, the late Sam Mbakwe, Dr. Alex Ekwueme and others.

Continuing, the President’s wife insisted that her husband has been fair enough to offer the 35 per cent affirmative stance on women recognition having offered appointment to women, among others, in Imo State.

In the event which the massive audience sang consistently “Mama Peace,” she noted that women appointed in Jonathan administration have soared to become Finance Minster and Coordination Minister for Economy, President of Organization of Oil Exporting countries (OPEC), among others. The Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE- P), free medical treatment for pregnant women, building of 12 universities, health centres among others, she said, were among the good things her husband’s administration brought and sustaining.

She said: “Imo 35 per cent is real. Minister, D.G., Women Centre, Chairman of board, na women from Imo State. 35 per cent, u don get am. I have come to tell you yhat Goodluck Sambo ticket na real. E go better for you.”

 Insisting that eight –year rule was okay, she said: “If my husband stay eight years finish, he wants to enter again, i will drag him for cloth enter house. You don’t want your youth to grow. If you vote for Jonathan u go better. She recalled that the president through his Agricultural policy programmes, offered opportunity for farmers in the country.”

The President’s wife who spoke in Igbo appealed to Imo women and her audience to remember that she was their own sister, while Jonathan is their In- Law, urging them to do the needful by obtaining their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), and cast their votes for the PDP in march 28 and April 11 respectively for various political elective positions, do accreditation, ushering in Jonathan, Ihedioha and other PDP candidates to enable her husband work harmoniously with them.

She rounded her speech: “Come April 11, Imo people, if you make a wrong choice, you will regret it. Give your rightful choice, Emeka Ihedioha. Goodluck is your in-law.”

 In their speeches, Sambo, Onwuliri, Ihedioha, Udenwa, a former Deputy Governor in the state, Dr. Douglas Acholonu, Chikwe, among others justified their claims that the PDP government deserves to be given another chance in the Federal Government level and Imo State, stressing that the rail line, roads infrastructure, massive employment among others were the indicators.