A former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has begged former President Olusegun Obasanjo not to abandon President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the February 14 presidential election.
Daniel’s plea came less than 24 hours after Obasanjo openly declared support for the re-election of Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, who is a member of the opposition All Progressives Congress.
While pleading with the ex-President, Daniel said, “Obasanjo should finish the job he started in 2011 because a job that is half-done is not done at all. It is the height of injustice for Jonathan and the South-South people not to be allowed to do a second-term. We, the Yoruba people are saying that for the reason of equity, Jonathan should be allowed for a second term and after that, power can shift to the North.”
Daniel, while addressing members of the PDP at the inauguration of the Goodluck/Sambo Independent Support Team in Lagos on Saturday, confessed that Obasanjo gave South-South region a sense of belonging by ensuring that Jonathan emerged as vice-president in 2007 and as President in 2011.
Meanwhile, the Presidency on Saturday said President Goodluck Jonathan was ready at all times to appease former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
It also agreed with the ex-President that candidates in the forthcoming general elections should be judged by their performance.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said this in an interview with Punch.
Okupe was reacting to a statement credited to Obasanjo that performance, as against party loyalty, should be the overriding factor in voting for candidates in the February elections.
Okupe said Obasanjo was correct in his submission, which he described as statesman-like.
He said, “Obasanjo is right. I want Nigerians to vote for the next President based on performance. Let Buhari tell us his performance and Goodluck Jonathan should tell us his performance. Obasanjo is correct; there is nothing wrong with that. That is very statesman-like of him.”
