Even as some powerful politicians from the northern hegemony are assiduously plotting to oust President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan from Aso Rock in 2015 and plant a President from the region, Pointblanknews.com can authoritatively report that the Jonathan political mercenaries have begun underground mobilization for support ahead the 2015 Jonathan second-term project.
Apart from enticing political figures in the North with financial inducement and political positions, the Jonathan Team is gradually getting hold of the northern youths and students through established organs and organizations.
Utilizing the Ramadan period, the Jonathan Team has been paying visits to geo-political zones in the North, sharing with them, the Ramadan lessons, blessings and resolutions”and the same garb, flying the Goodluck Jonathan 2015 kite.
On Saturday, President Jonathan reached out to northern youths in the Northwest through his Senior Special Assistant on Youths and Student Matters, Comrade Jude G. Imagwe. President Goodluck Jonathan urged northern youths to contribute in nation-building, promote peaceful co-existence, progress and national unity. Jonathan He also assured the youth of his administration’s resolve to ensure economic emancipation of the youths.
The President spoke through Imagwe during an Interactive Session and Ramadan Iftar, with University students and leaders of youth groups in the North-West Region, promising them that the development of youths ranks top in his transformational agenda. Jude also extended the prayers of President Good luck Jonathan to Muslims during this month of Ramadan, as well as reminded them that the Holy Month of Ramadan represents an opportunity to reconcile with Allah.
He charged them to preserve and extend their spiritual cleansing beyond the period of Ramadan, even as he assured them that the Christian Community in Nigeria is joining them in prayers at this all important month of Ramadan.
Also, he noted that, “I have come to you on behalf of the President to specifically thank you for the support that you have extended to him during the first half of the administration and intimate you that he needs more of your support in the second half of his administration than in the first.”
“He wants to assure you that he will work with you continuously as young people, and will continue to partner with you. He wants you to realize that Nigeria belongs to you more than to any other group or segment of the society” Comrade Jude stated. While admitting that there are a number of challenges confronting youths in the country, Comrade Jude however acknowledged that some these problems are being tackled by the administration, but solicited, for understanding and cooperation, noting that some of these challenges had been existing since the nation’s independence.
Transformation that even without the president in office tomorrow, whosoever that would pilot the affairs of this country, would know that a foundation had been laid, he added.
Jude, who is the former president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), also tasked the youth to collaborate and work together for the unity of Nigeria through the demonstration of love and fellowship to one another, stressing that with young people working together in Nigeria, the country would surpass the imagination of the world. However, Comrade Jude lamented that the youth are ironically part of their present problems, “because we refused to identify our numerical strength, we refused to realize that we have the strength and we can decide what we want to decide in this country, either by election, production, agitation or by contribution.” He assured them that ASUU’s strike would soon be over, explaining that the Federal Government is working assiduously to find a lasting solution to the industrial dispute in the nation’s Universities.
A Peace Rally organized by the Northern Youth Forum (NYF) followed the Interactive Seession where the National Chairman of the Forum, Malam Jibrin Tafida noted that but for persistent violence and social conflicts that have faced the region over the years, the issues of under-development would have been a thing of the past.
Tafida declared that NYF reposed total confidence in President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration, noting that the Federal Government remains favourably disposed to the development of the North. Hundreds of members of the Forum carried pro-Jonathan placards some with inscriptions: “Away With Undemocratic Forces, Leave Our President Alone, We Need Fresh Air, Stop Unguided Utterances.”
He tasked northern youths in the region to promote peace and stability in the country by resisting any attempt by enemies of the state to drag them into unpatriotic activities and enjoined them to always place the peace and unity of the country at preference.
“Without peace, the North as a region cannot achieve the required developmental goals; without peace, Nigeria as a nation will not proudly take its rightful place as the Giant of Africa. Tomorrow lies in our hands ”as the youths, we are expected to lay the foundation for a greater nation. We may have been discouraged by the mistakes of our fathers ”but at this point of our nation’s history, the baton has fallen into our hands to correct the past mistakes; and lay foundation for a better, peaceful, united and prosperous Nigeria. We can only achieve this by being patriotic and of good conduct. We must shun ethno-religious violence; we must shun nepotism and favouritism,” he stated.
“It is time for us to take the bull by the horn by knowing what we want and how to go about it. The time has come for the northern youths to discard and disregard certain orientations rooted on sentiments and prejudice. The North has suffered a series of set-backs occasioned by the influence of the interest of some few cabals. So, this is why we have decided to engage the northern youths on the option of peace and unity. We must learn the arts of tolerance. We must learn the arts of forgiveness. We must learn the arts of imbibing and exhibiting good character; and to always run away from undemocratic forces,” he noted.
