By Agamnetochi Onoh
Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has said the Osun State governorship election to be conducted next Saturday will be credible and in line with his administration’s desire to ensure whoever comes into government is the choice of the people.
Jonathan was addressing Diaspora Nigerians on the occasion of his participation in the African Leaders summit August 4 to 6.
According to the Nigerian President, he delivered one of the country’s best elections in 2011 and will continue to do so as one of the legacies he hopes to leave behind in the art of credible governance.
According to Jonathan his government was working hard to deliver other democracy dividends in the areas of reducing to minimal levels the unemployment situation in the country, quality and affordable education while making housing affordable to many Nigerians
Jonathan who was present with a retinue of ministers including Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Trade and Investment Olusegun Aganga, Governor of Central Bank Godwin Emefiele and Nigeria’s ambassador to Canada Chief Ojo Maduekwe thanked Diaspora Nigerians he was glad at their commitment in ensuring they were involved in decision making affecting the country.
Earlier, the President had been surrounded at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel by a crowd of rallying Nigerians belonging to the Nigerian first Organisation.
According to the coordinator Linda Oyewopo, the group which is Nigerian/Chicago based NGO, said: “We are saddened by the way Boko Haram murders innocent Nigerians and the future of tomorrow-the youths and we are here to tell the world it is time to bring back our girls.”
Oyewopo said the world should stand up to the murderous instincts of this deadly group and support President Jonathan in his bid to bring back the girls and free the country of terrorist activities.
Okonjo-Iweala told the town hall participants a housing revolution was going on in the country and Nigerians in the Diaspora have been urged to be fully involved. According to the minister, the housing programme took into cognisance the peculiar circumstances that made it difficult to access loans and make housing affordable to as many Nigerians as possible.
She also said the Jonathan administration was making jobs available to Nigerians through the agro-chain industry where thousands of beneficiaries are now proudly engaged in useful activities.
Nigeria’s ambassador to the US, Professor Ade Adefuye, brought to the notice of the President the high ranking Nigerians in the Diaspora occupied in the US noting one of them had successfully perfected a drug that helps to cure cancer.
Adefuye also presented 10 of the best 45 Nigerian participants in the Obama initiative known as the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).
Both the Senator representing Abuja and the honourable member chairing the House Committee on Diaspora Matters, Abike Dabiri-Erewa said everything was being done to make the diaspora Nigerians relevant in the affairs of the country including ensuring they were going to be accommodated in the future so that their votes would count.
