President Goodluck Jonathan, who is also the PDP candidate in the Feb. 14 presidential election, kicked off his campaign for re-election in the nation’s commercial capital, Lagos, on Thursday.
The occasion also served as the starting point for the campaign of all those seeking elective positions on the party’s platform.
He also used the forum to debunk many allegations and insinuations being bandied about by the opposition.
Observers say it was an occasion when the people saw Goodluck Jonathan at his best in articulating, reasoning and defending his administration’s records, as well as projecting what the future of Nigeria will be when he is given another mandate.
The main thrust of his electioneering is his commitment to anchor Nigeria’s future for the young and the next generation. Jonathan noted that some countries that got independence at the same time with Nigeria had made more progress.
“At independence, Nigeria, Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia and even India were all at the same level,’’ he recalled.
Jonathan said that his administration, on realising this observable fact, had been busy articulating and implementing policies that would empower the youth, so as to make them more enterprising and innovative.
According to him, the aim of the venture is to make Nigeria’s future bright and put the country in the league of great nations.
Jonathan highlighted the setting up of 12 universities, the building of almajiri schools and the various youth programmes to buttress his case, while announcing the setting up of a Presidential Board to oversee the creation of two million jobs annually.
On the vexed issue of insecurity, Jonathan blamed past governments for not arming the military well enough and challenged them to show what they have done with the defence budgets
“No country equips its armed forces overnight; armed forces are built over the years,’’ he said.
He said his administration had taken the challenge by dealing with governments with regard to weapons’ purchase and planning adequately for the all arms of the country’s defence forces.
On corruption, Jonathan defended his administration’s records in the anti-corruption campaign, saying that several corrupt persons were arrested and convicted his administration.
Besides, the president highlighted how his administration had revolutionised the country’s agricultural system, which was hitherto burdened by factors such as corruption.
Jonathan noted that such factors had inhibited food production, stressing that in the past years, for instance, less that 10 per cent of fertilisers bought for farmers reached them.
“This has changed and now, famers find it easier to obtain all farm inputs,’’ he added.
All the same, the president did not only stop at highlighting his administration’s records, he also exposed what he had in stock for Nigerians.
He said that his government had introduced the Sovereign Wealth Fund, while pushing for the repatriation of stolen public funds.
He said that 50 per cent of the recovered funds would be used for security, 25 per cent would be used for development, while the remaining 25 per cent would be used for future generation.
Besides, Jonathan revealed his administration’s house-ownership plans for every Nigerian, saying: “You do not need to have millions of naira to have a house.’’
However, the president’s speech brought out his other side as a caring and humble president.
Perhaps, it is for the first time in Nigeria’s history that a president would publicly apologise to government workers, as Jonathan explained why the December 2014 salary could not be paid to some of them on time.
Jonathan’s explanation subtly X-rayed his administration’s commitment to fighting corruption, as he claimed that the delay was caused by some ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) that attempted to divert funds meant for salaries to other uses which was promptly detected and stopped by the IPPIS.
Expectedly, the president’s speech elicited large applause from the teeming crowd that thronged the venue of the presidential campaign, with many people urging him to go on.
In the coming days, the president’s campaign train is set to hit other parts of the country where he will continue to unfold his achievements and what the future has in store for the country under his watch.