The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, standard bearer in the March 28 election, Dr. President Goodluck Jonathan has declared that the victory of his party in the forthcoming general elections would free Lagos residents from oppression.
He made this declaration in Lagos on Friday when leaders of market women groups, known as Iyalojas, in Lagos and environs, paid him a solidarity visit at the State House in Marina, Lagos.
Jonathan, who spoke in reaction to the complaint of highhandedness and witch-hunting made by the market women against the All Progressives Congress-led Lagos State Government, told his guest, as well as all traders in the country that the PDP administration would provide the enabling environment for them to ply their trades.
“Our victory at the polls will free all Lagos traders from oppression. You need to be free; we will remove Lagos from bondage,” he said.
While appreciating the women for supporting his re-election bid, he urged them not to be intimidated by their opponents.
In Jonathan’s words, “I have listened to you; you have been carrying the PDP flag; you have been humiliated but you still marched on.
“Thank you for working hard for PDP; this is the final struggle and time for us to use all our strength to achieve victory.
“If we struggle and win Lagos State, everybody will do his business without being harassed or intimidated,” he asserted.
In an earlier remark, leader of the market women, Hajia Aminat Hussein, told the PDP candidate that they had stood behind PDP since its inception but regretted that their members suffered harassment under the government in Lagos State.
She stressed that despite attempts by the APC “to buy over many of the market women”, the women would mobilize themselves in the state and in other states to ensure the reelection of the president.
“We are promising you that you will not lose in Lagos; this coming election is for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and God is with you,” she stated.
Also speaking, a PDP gubernatorial aspirant in Lagos State and current ministerial-nominee, Musiliu Obanikoro, who led the group, told Jonathan that the group was working hard to make the world know that the ruling party in Lagos “are not untouchables.”
According to him, “These women are more concerned about the reality than news in the social media. APC will be shocked on election’s day; we believe in our President.
“I do not know of any president that is as humble as Jonathan. If you have such a man as President, your interest will be protected,” Obanikoro boasted.
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