THE campaign train of President Goodluck Jonathan hit Asaba, the Delta State capital yesterday where he pledged to complete the oil and gas complex and generate thousands of jobs for the youths.
All adjoining streets to The Cenotaph, venue of the rally which was recently expanded, were teeming with people who came from far and near to hear Jonathan and his campaign team from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) speak.
Addressing the crowd, Jonathan said that with the establishment of a maritime university in the state, the good old days of seafarers who earned good salary were around the corner.
He promised that many graduates of the university will be employed by ocean-going vehicles while the proposed oil and gas complex, when fully operational, will also go a long way in reducing youth unemployment.
He said: “At $16 billion, the Delta Oil and Gas Complex will be the largest in Africa. There will be lots of jobs once the gas city is completed. Nigeria must move forward.”
sSpeaker after speaker, including Vice-President Namadi Sambo; First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, Dr. Ahmadu Ali; the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu; host Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan; Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson; Cross Rivers State Governor Liyel Imoke; former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi and a host of others took turn to praise Jonathan and lambasted the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
While the trio of Sambo, Ali and Muazu described Jonathan as an intelligent and vibrant man, they described the APC Presidential candidate, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as a spent old man who does not have anything to offer.
Sambo said that all over the world, the trend is for countries to vote for leaders between the ages of 40 and 50 instead of electing a president who because of old age cannot stand up to address the nation for more than two minutes.
Ali said: “APC is dead on arrival. All they have to offer is wicked people who put people in crates and jail people for 130 years. To make matter worse, who will vote for a man who has no certificate instead of a vibrant young man.”
Some notable Nollywood stars, including Mrs. Patience (“Mama G”) Ozokwor wooed the crowd for Jonathan, saying things have been extremely better in the film industry because of the support and encouragement of the president.
