President Good luck Jonathan has assured the people of the South Western part of Nigeria that they would not be left behind in the scheme of things when re-elected in the 2015 general elections.
The president stated this yesterday while addressing South-West leaders at the Yoruba Unity Summit held at the Oduduwa Hall of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, where protesting students booed him.
The theme of the programme was “Nigeria Development: Whither The Yoruba.”
He, however, hinged the inability of Akande-Adeola to emerge Speaker to the decision by some people from the region, who “thought otherwise”.
He said “one of the problems I face is the National Assembly. Our party has arrangement for positions.
When a president and vice president emerge from different regions, other offices – the Senate President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the party chairman and Speaker of House of Representatives must come from different geo-political zones.
“The idea is that when we are to decide, people in these positions meet with us to decide on crucial things. In that case we want every geo-politically zones to be represented in that inner caucus of our party.
Last time, it was difficult for me because I insisted that South West must get Speaker but some of us within South West didn’t want that because of personal ambition and I am still suffering for that till today.
“That is why I am telling our leaders here that this time around we must work together and ensure that whatever position that is zoned to South West, we must get and no one should rob us of it”.
President Jonathan who was accompanied by the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, some ministers and members of the National Assembly, described the South West as a key part of Nigeria which his administration must work with.
According to him, the contributions of Yoruba people to nation building were enormous, hence the need for them to embrace love, unity and understanding to overcome all the challenges facing the country.
The president also assured Nigerians that the recommendations of the recently conducted National Conference would be implemented to the letter as and when due.
While also appreciating the elders and the traditional rulers in the South West for their support for his government since inception, the president promised to accord them equal treatment along with other geopolitical zones of the country.
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