2015: Clarke Mobilises 20m Youths for Jonathan
LAGOS FEBRUARY 19TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Over 20 million youth in the country across all political parties, religious, regional and tribal divides, have indicated their interest to support the candidacy of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
The President, Coalition of Nigeria Youths for Goodluck Jonathan, Collins Clarke, stated this in an interview with journalists in Abuja, on Tuesday.
Clarke, who was in the company of the group’s Vice President, Idris Ali, and Secretary General, Harrison Anuforo, stated: “Since the formation of this group, the response from youths all over Nigeria and Diaspora is very great.
“We are very proud to say more than 20 million youths have been mobilised to go with us. The phone calls we receive every day from youths all over the country, telling us they want to be part of us, are amazing”.
He disclosed that Jonathan’s performance is what motivated them to campaign and call on Nigerians to vote him back as president in 2015.
According to him: “Jonathan is opening all sectors of the economy and encouraging Nigerian investors; shifting the dependence on oil to other sectors, thereby creating jobs for the youths.
“Nigerians are very good at letting go the good things around us, but this time, we will resist any attempt, the youths will fight for their rights in bringing good leadership to Nigeria.
“What Jonathan has done, no Nigerian president was able to do before now. The democratic tenants are waxing stronger.
“We are very proud of having just one senate president for so long, compared to his predecessors, when we had more than five senate presidents in eight years.”
Taking a swipe on the opposition, Clarke, a political researcher, said: “As a pressure group, our stand on the recent political development in Nigeria is that democracy must prevail and what is happening today are all part of political struggle. People trying to gain power and control.
“We can also look at the role of the opposition party, it baffles me to realise that all the people the opposition party have criticised in one form or the other, are the same people they are wooing to join them.
“When I read that they went to meet former President Obasanjo, I laughed. The problem with the Nigeria political elites is lack of commitment.
“They are not committed to anything; anything goes and they treat the masses like fools. They forget also too soon that we know them and their antecedents.”
He, however, called on youths in the Boko Haram ridden states to stand firm and resist the attempts by the sect to totally destroy the region.
He stressed: “Boko Haram is not holding Nigeria hostage, but, holding people in their states hostage. Right now, I don’t think there is any development going on in Boko Haram states/
“So, who is suffering or who will suffer? Definitely, it is the youth in that area that will suffer most.”
The aim of the coalition, according, Clarke said, is “to promote GEJ for President 2015; campaign rigorously for him in Nigeria and Diaspora and bring the youths together towards this end and support his transformation agenda”.
Source: Daily Independent