Fayose, Odumakin support former president’s appointment

AHEAD of the scheduled October 25, 2015 general elections in Tanzania, the immediate past President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has been appointed to lead a 33-member observation team for the exercise.

Jonathan was announced to lead the observation mission by the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Yahya Simba.

Announcing the development in Dar es Salaam, the Tanzanian capital, Simba said the mission would be made up of observers from Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific.

Speaking at a meeting jointly organised by the United Nations (UN) and the government of Tanzania to herald activities of the UN 70th anniversary, which will be commemorated next week, Simba stated that while Jonathan will lead the Commonwealth observer team, former Mozambican President, Armando Guebuza, will lead the African Union (AU) observer team.

Over 23 million out of a population of about 46 million Tanzanians will go to the polls to elect a new president, members of the parliament and councillors.

Meanwhile, Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State and National Secretary, Yoruba ocio-cultural group, Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, have hailed the appointment, saying the former President deserved the appointment due to his democratic tendencies.

Fayose, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, said Jonathan’s appointment is recognition of his remarkable role in the last presidential election in which he conceded defeat, thereby saving Nigeria from catastrophe that even the international community thought would befall the country.

According to him: “Jonathan should be celebrated and I am happy that the world is beginning to give him the deserved recognition and celebration less than five months that he left office.”

He posited that Jonathan’s courage and spirit of sportsmanship in accepting the outcome of the March 28 presidential election despite the obvious shortcomings saved the nation from political chaos and violence.

Odumakin said Jonathan earned the appointment for himself by sacrificing his personal ambition for the collective good of Nigerians.