Posted by By RAZAQ BAMIDELE, CHIKA ABANOBI, MUYIWA OYINLOLA and MARIAM ALESHINLOYE on
All roads lead to the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos as the South West presidential campaign rally of the Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA) kicks off, tomorrow.
*As Kalu storm lagos
All roads lead to the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos as the South West presidential campaign rally of the Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA) kicks off, tomorrow.
Throwing more light on the event, tagged 'Mother of all rallies," the governorship candidate of the party in Lagos, Chief (Mrs) Oluremi Adiukwu-Bakare and the National Deputy Chairman, Chief Martin Uwakwe urged members of the public to come and receive the message of change.
Adiukwu-Bakare, who visited the corporate headquarters of The Sun in Apapa expressed confidence at victory for the party at both the national and state levels, adding that 'the real show will start" after the event.
Fresh from successful campaign outings in Jalingo, Taraba State and Jos, Plateau State, the presidential standard bearer of the party, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, will address the rally, which kicks off at 10.00a.m. Adiukwu-Bakare will also receive the flag of the party from the National Chairman. Uwakwe said his contacts with a wide spectrum of groups and individuals in the last few days suggested a massive turn-out of people eager to witness the unfolding of a new agenda by Kalu that will 'impact on lives and change the nation for good."
Yesterday at the Rwang Pam Stadium, Jos, Plateau State, Kalu had expressed his wishes to see the ailing presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Umar Yar'Adua recover fully to face the challenges of the April polls.
He expressed confidence that he will trounce him in a free and fair contest, urging the people to reject the decadence which the PDP represents.
Amidst cheers from his supporters, Kalu noted that the PDP has not been able to deliver on its promises to the people in the last eight years. 'PDP has brought hardship to the people of Nigeria. PDP has brought lack of power supply to the people of Nigeria. PDP under eight years cannot provide roads for the people of Nigeria.
'PDP has made husbands and wives to be quarrelling in their homes because of hardship. PDP has lied in everything they do. They are liars because they don't keep to their words. They are party deceiving people, Papa deceiving people and poverty development party."
He offered himself to redress the wrongs done to the people by the party, pledging to usher in a new era of economic prosperity, security and new social order.
He lamented the unrelieved spate of shut downs by factories in the nation. 'They said they reformed the economy, but there is nobody here with money in his pocket. They said they created jobs; which job did they create? In Aba, where I live, about 1,500 new industries have closed down because of lack of electricity," he disclosed.
Kalu challenged the people to take their destiny in their hands and embrace change, and freedom.
Berating the campaigners for tenure elongation (3rd term), who are now in the race, he wondered if there would have been an opportunity for them to actualize their dreams if President Olusegun Obasanjo had succeeded in his gambit.
Speaking on the need for generational change, he predicted that the future of the nation depended on dynamic, visionary young men like him.
He further said that his private sector background would be a boost to the economy.
Earlier, before the commencement of the rally, Kalu took time off to pay courtesy visits on Victor Dung Pam, the Gbong Gwom Jos and the Eze Ndigbo of Jos, Joseph Ejimbe, where he received royal blessings for his aspiration. At the brief reception accorded him, he assured them of his respect and partnership with traditional institution and promised to continue doing so if elected president of the country. In his response, the Gbong Gwom Jos expressed confidence in Orji Uzor Kalu's ability to do the job.
His words: 'I feel confident that when your type gets to the presidency, Nigeria will be turned around. I am not flattering you" he said. 'If God says yes to your aspiration, nobody can say no. You are a man of courage. You are the type of people we want there. May God be with you for your destiny to be fulfilled."
National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Sulaiman Ahmed said the history of Nigeria will not be complete without 'generous mention of Orji Uzor Kalu."
Speaking in the same vein, the leader in charge of Women and Youth Affairs, Hajia Mariyah Ibrahim Baba noted that the profile of Kalu and his intimidating credentials were assets for the race.
All the six governorship candidates from the North Central Zone, namely Plateau, Benue, Kwara, Kogi and Nassarawa were in attendance.