USA Africa Dialogue Series - FROM THE ARCHIVES: President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan's Speeches - Declaration, Nomination Acceptance and Victory Acceptance

 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR, ON THE OCCASION OF THE DECLARATION OF HIS CANDIDACY FOR THE PDP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES, TODAY 18TH SEPTEMBER, 2010.

 

 

PROTOCOL

 

 

Forty months ago my predecessor in office and I embarked on a joint ticket in the governance of our great country, Nigeria.  Sadly, he passed away on the 5th of May 2010.

 

MAY HIS GENTLE SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE, AMEN.

 

With the death of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, the mantle of leadership of our great nation fell on me.  However, the days leading to my presidency were very trying times for our nation. We confronted those moments and their challenges to national security with patriotism and care.  I appreciate the role played by the National Assembly, Governors, Civil Society groups,  the mass media,  and other patriotic Nigerians. 

 

The late President Yar'Adua and I shared great dreams for our country.  We toiled together to realize those dreams in order to justify the confidence Nigerians reposed in us.  Together we swore to execute a joint mandate and today I come before you to make a pronouncement based on that undertaking.

 

 The past four months that I have served as President of Nigeria have opened my eyes to the vast potentials of this office as a potent instrument for the transformation of our country.  I discovered that by sheer willpower,  I could end the long queues and price fluctuations in our petrol stations.  Today, all our refineries are working,  saving us huge amounts of funds spent on importation of petroleum products. 

 

I discovered that by insisting that the right things be done,  we could begin a turnaround in our power sector by involving the private sector in power generation and distribution.  As you can see from the lower quantities of diesel that you are buying today,  power generation has significantly improved.

 

I have put in place new gas policies and very soon,  we will be saying goodbye to gas flaring in our oil fields.  Working with the National Assembly,  we rolled out a law that requires companies operating in the oil and gas sectors of our economy to utilize an appreciable percentage of their goods and services from local sources.  We saw to it that normalcy began to return to the Niger Delta by ensuring government's fidelity to its promises,  and this has helped to stabilize our national revenue. 

 

In the last few months,  I embarked on monumental projects in our road infrastructure to end the carnage on our federal highways.  I began several projects to make our water resources available for drinking and farming.  I targeted our educational system to return quality and competitiveness to them. I re-addressed our drive for self sufficiency in food production. I have taken bold steps to confront our security situation. In this regard,  we are pursuing the revision of our laws to be more responsive to international conventions and more punitive to criminals. 

 

I set the stage for free and fair elections by constituting an electoral commission comprising of Nigerians with impeccable credentials for firmness and incorruptibility.  I charged our anti corruption agencies to speed up the war against corruption,  and respect no sacred cows in the process.  In the management of the economy,  I advocated a more transparent banking industry, price stability,  low inflation,  and aggregate increase in productivity as a way to drive us to a more prosperous economy.  In International Relations,  I advanced the respectability accorded our country by effective engagement in global fora.

 

From the moment I was sworn in as President,  I came under intense pressure to make a declaration concerning my political future,  but declined to do so because it would have immediately distracted us from all the development initiatives we have accomplished so far. 

 

As President and leader of this government,  I decided not to place partisan politics above the immediate needs and priorities of our people.  I therefore told Nigerians to give me time to concentrate on my work, and that at the appropriate time,  I would make a public statement on my political future after widespread consultations.

 

Those consultations have now been concluded. The Independent National Electoral Commission  has recently announced a time table for the 2011 general elections in the country.  My party, the Peoples Democratic Party,  has also published a timetable for its primaries. 

 

In the circumstances and after a thorough self examination and prayers with my family,  I,  Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan have decided to humbly offer myself as a candidate in the Presidential Primaries of our great party,  the Peoples Democratic Party,  in order to stand for the 2011 Presidential elections.   I pledge once again to all the people of this nation that they will have a free and fair election, even as I stand to be a candidate. In this race,  I have the honour to have as my running mate,  Architect Namadi Sambo, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

Our country is at the threshold of a new era;  an era that beckons for a new kind of leadership;  a leadership that is uncontaminated by the prejudices of the past;  a leadership committed to change;  a leadership that reinvents government,  to solve the everyday problems that confront the average Nigerian.

 

I was not born rich,  and in my youth,  I never imagined that I would be where I am today,  but not once did I ever give up.  Not once did I imagine that a child from Otuoke,  a small village in the Niger Delta, will one day rise to the position of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I was raised by my mother and father with just enough money to meet our daily needs. 

 

In my early days in school,  I had no shoes,  no school bags.  I carried my books in my hands but never despaired;  no car to take me to school but I never despaired.  There were days I had only one meal but I never despaired.  I walked miles and crossed rivers to school every day but I never despaired.  Didn't have power,  didn't have generators,  studied with lanterns but I never despaired. 

 

In spite of these,  I finished secondary school,  attended the University of Port Harcourt,  and now hold a doctorate degree.

 

Fellow Nigerians,  if I could make it,  you too can make it!

 

My story is the story of a young Nigerian whose access to education opened up vast opportunities that enabled me to attain my present position.  As I travel up and down our country,  I see a nation blessed by God with rich agricultural and mineral resources and an enterprising people.  I see millions of Nigerians whose potentials for greatness are constrained by the lack of basic infrastructure. 

 

I see Nigerians who can make a difference in the service of their country but are disadvantaged by the lack of opportunities.

 

My story symbolizes my dream for Nigeria. The dream that any Nigerian child from Kaura- Namoda to Duke town; from Potiskum to Nsukka, from Isale-Eko to Gboko will be able to realize his God-given potentials,  unhindered by tribe or religion and unrestricted by improvised political inhibitions. My story holds out the promise of a new Nigeria.  A Nigeria built on the virtues of love and respect for one another,  on unity,  on industry,  on hardwork and on good governance.

 

My fellow Nigerians, this is what has brought me to Eagle Square today.  I have come to say to all of you,  that Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan is the man you need to put Nigeria right.  I have come to launch a campaign of ideas, not one of calumny.  I have come to preach love, not hate. I have come to break you away from divisive tendencies of the past which have slowed our drive to true nationhood. I have no enemies to fight.  You are all my friends and we share a common destiny.

 

Let the word go out from this Eagle Square that Jonathan as President in 2011 will herald a new era of transformation of our country;  an era that will end the agony of power shortage in our country. Let the word go out from here that I will be for the students, teachers and parents of Nigeria,  a President who will advance quality and competitive education. Let everyone in this country hear that I shall strive to the best of my ability to attain self sufficiency in food production.

 

Let the word go out that my plans for a Sovereign Wealth Fund with an initial capital of $1billion will begin the journey for an economic restoration. This restoration will provide new job opportunities and alleviate poverty. Let the word go out that our health sector will receive maximum priority in a new Jonathan administration, a priority that will ensure maximum health care and stop our brain drain.

 

Let all the kidnappers,  criminal elements,  and miscreants that give us a bad name be ready for the fight that I shall give them. Let the ordinary Nigerian be assured that President Jonathan will have zero tolerance for corruption. Let the international community hear that today I have offered myself to lead a country that will engage them in mutual respect and cooperation for the achievement of international peace and understanding.

 

To help me in these tasks effectively,  I will re-train,  revamp,  and motivate the civil service.

 

My dear good people of Nigeria,  I got here today by the power of God and the support of all Nigerians;  all ethnic groups, North,  South,  East and West.   I am here today because of your support and prayers.  I want all of you to know that I am one of you and I will never let you down! I want you to know that I will keep hope alive;  I want you to know that your time has come.

 

I stand before you today,  humbly seeking your support for me,  Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan,  to run for the office of the President of Nigeria with Architect Namadi Sambo as my running mate.

 

We will fight for JUSTICE!

We will fight for all Nigerians to have access to POWER!

We will fight for qualitative and competitive EDUCATION!

We will fight for HEALTH CARE REFORMS!

We will fight to create jobs, for all Nigerians!

We will fight corruption!

We will fight to protect all Citizens!

We will fight for your rights!

 

My dear country men and women, give me your support, give me your votes and together we will fight to build a great nation of our dreams!

 

I cannot end this speech without thanking you all for attending this occasion.  Your huge attendance is a loud testimony of your support for us. For this I am very grateful. I pray that the Almighty God abides with you and sees you safely back to your respective destinations.

 

When you return, tell all those at home that as we celebrate our fifty years anniversary as a nation, Goodluck has come to transform Nigeria and I will never let you down.

 

Thank You.

 

May God Bless you all!

And may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!

 

 

 

 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NOMINATION ACCEPTANCE SPEECH OF PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR ON THE OCCASION OF HIS WINNING THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES AT THE 4TH PRESIDENTIAL CONVENTION OF THE PDP, 13TH JANUARY, 2011 AT EAGLE SQUARE, ABUJA.

PROTOCOL 

1. About eight months ago fate beckoned on me to take up the mantle of leadership from our late leader, President Umaru Musa Yar' Adua and to honour his memory by striving to sustain the dreams that we all shared with him for a vibrant Peoples Democratic Party and a prosperous and peaceful nation.
2. Last September I declared my interest to seek the nomination of our party to contest for the Presidency of our great country. I asked for your support so that together with Vice President Namadi Sambo and with your continued goodwill, we will secure a fresh mandate to confront the many challenges that are before our nation. I asked for your trust so that we can continue to expand the political space, promote greater democratic culture and unite our nation for rapid progress and speedy transformation.
3. In the past months, within our party and around the nation, we have witnessed a campaign of unusual intensity within an unconstrained political space and today the Peoples Democratic Party has spoken with one strong voice.
4. It is with great humility that I accept the monumental mandate which you have handed over to me as the Presidential flag bearer of our great party. This mandate is unique as it makes a decisive statement in the history of our great nation. This statement is that our people have chosen the unity of our country above all other considerations. It is a quantum leap into the great ideals to hold our great nation together. I promise all Nigerians that I will within my powers not disappoint this umbrella of unity you have entrusted on me today. I will carry this banner to all the corners of our great country to make sure that the essence of this unity is not lost on our people.
5. We thank God for making this day possible.
6. I thank all the delegates to this convention for the confidence you have reposed in me. I assure you that I will never let you down. I also thank all the members of our great party across the country for the role you have all played in influencing the choice that have been made by the fourth Presidential Nomination Convention of this party. I thank you all.
7. I am very grateful to the DG of my campaign team Alhaji Dalhatu Sarki Tafida and members of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organization for the great work that has been done to convert the will of the Nigerian people into delegates' votes.
8. I thank the convention organizing committee for organizing a secure, transparent, free and fair convention.
9. Let me specially acknowledge the effort of my hard working and amiable Vice President, Architect Muhammed Namadi Sambo, a strong, reliable and trusted ally. I hereby reaffirm Architect Muhammed Namadi Sambo as my running mate for the forth coming Presidential election.
10. This victory is not for me alone. It is not just for Sambo and our supporters in PDP. It is a victory for PDP members and indeed all Nigerians because it takes us one step closer to the Nigerian dream of national transformation.
11. Let me very respectfully pay special tribute to Mrs Sara Jubril and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who all fought gallantly. I believe that the very lively presidential primary has prepared the Vice President and I and indeed the entire party for the forthcoming general election. I want to welcome Mrs Jubril and his Excellency Alhaji Abubakar on board so that together we can build a Nigeria of our collective interest. A Nigeria where ideas guide our dreams for a greater nation.
12. This is the time for the party to move forward in unity to bring this country under the PDP banner and gain the electoral victory that we need to better serve our nation.
13. This country has many challenges and our polity certainly needs reform. Our economy needs to be strengthened, opportunities need to be spread and security needs to be improved. Only a national party can lead us through the national transformation Nigeria needs. Today, that national party is our party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
14. These are uncommon times in the history of this country. The challenges that confront this country are enormous but the opportunities available to us are even more. It is our responsibility as the ruling party of this great country to listen to Nigerians and move in the direction that the people expect us to go.
15. Nigerians want peace and security and we are determine to provide it.
16. Our party must convince Nigerians that we have a plan for national security and that we can cover the entire country in that plan.
17. We are shedding the politics and corruption of the past that has held us down for too long and have formulated the strategy and team to transform Nigeria.  It won't always be easy, but our momentum is strong and our vision for Nigeria is clear: through an improved power sector, stronger educational system, better security, and policies that promote Nigerian business development and jobs. Nigeria will play big globally as we approach the year 2020.
18. Nigeria has the talent, skill, determination and passion to reach this ambitious - but achievable - goal. And our administration led by the Peoples Democratic Party has the right priorities and strategy to make it happen.
19. Let us seek the Nigerian peoples mandate together as a united party and pursue the affairs of good governance for the next four years. This is more than a set of policies or new ideas - it is about all Nigerians joining hands to turn the page.
20. Together, all party members, activists and people of Nigeria can work to win the forth- coming elections at all levels.
21. I Thank you all and God bless you.

______

 

 

 

ACCEPTANCE SPEECH OF PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR, ON THE OCCASION OF HIS VICTORY AT THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES OF THE PDP, 13^TH JANUARY, 2011 AT EAGLE SQUARE, ABUJA.

PROTOCOL

1. About eight months ago fate beckoned on me to take up the mantle of leadership from our late leader, President Umaru Musa Yar' Adua and to honour his memory by striving to sustain the dreams that we all shared with him for a vibrant Peoples Democratic Party and a prosperous and peaceful nation.

2. Last September I declared my interest to seek the nomination of our party to contest for the Presidency of our great country. I asked for your support so that together with Vice President Namadi Sambo and with your continued goodwill, we will secure a fresh mandate to confront the many challenges that are before our nation. I asked for your trust so that we can continue to expand the political space, promote greater democratic culture and unite our nation for rapid progress and speedy transformation.

3. In the past months, within our party and around the nation, we have witnessed a campaign of unusual intensity within an unconstrained political space and today the Peoples Democratic Party has spoken with one strong voice.

4. It is with great humility that I accept the monumental mandate which you have handed over to me as the Presidential flag bearer of our great party. This mandate is unique as it makes a decisive statement in the history of our great nation. This statement is that our people have chosen the unity of our country above all other considerations. It is a quantum leap into the great ideals to hold our great nation together. I promise all Nigerians that I will within my powers not disappoint this umbrella of unity you have entrusted on me today. I will carry this banner to all the corners of our great country to make sure that the essence of this unity is not lost on our people.

5. We thank God for making this day possible.

6. I thank all the delegates to this convention for the confidence you have reposed in me. I assure you that I will never let you down. I also thank all the members of our great party across the country for the role you have all played in influencing the choice that have been made by the fourth Presidential Nomination Convention of this party. I thank you all.

7. I am very grateful to the DG of my campaign team Alhaji Dalhatu Sarki Tafida and members of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organization for the great work that has been done to convert the will of the Nigerian people into delegates' votes.

8. I thank the convention organizing committee for organizing a secure, transparent, free and fair convention.

9. Let me specially acknowledge the effort of my hard working and amiable Vice President, Architect Muhammed Namadi Sambo, a strong, reliable and trusted ally. I hereby reaffirm Architect Muhammed Namadi Sambo as my running mate for the forth coming Presidential election.

10. This victory is not for me alone. It is not just for Sambo and our supporters in PDP. It is a victory for PDP members and indeed all Nigerians because it takes us one step closer to the Nigerian dream of national transformation.

11. Let me very respectfully pay special tribute to Mrs Sara Jubril and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who all fought gallantly. I believe that the very lively presidential primary has prepared the Vice President and I and indeed the entire party for the forthcoming general election. I want to welcome Mrs Jubril and his Excellency Alhaji Abubakar on board so that together we can build a Nigeria of our collective interest. A Nigeria where ideas guide our dreams for a greater nation.

12. This is the time for the party to move forward in unity to bring this country under the PDP banner and gain the electoral victory that we need to better serve our nation.

13. This country has many challenges and our polity certainly needs reform. Our economy needs to be strengthened, opportunities need to be spread and security needs to be improved. Only a national party can lead us through the national transformation Nigeria needs. Today, that national party is our party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

14. These are uncommon times in the history of this country. The challenges that confront this country are enormous but the opportunities available to us are even more. It is our responsibility as the ruling party of this great country to listen to Nigerians and move in the direction that the people expect us to go.

15. Nigerians want peace and security and we are determine to provide it.

16. Our party must convince Nigerians that we have a plan for national security and that we can cover the entire country in that plan.

17. We are shedding the politics and corruption of the past that has held us down for too long and have formulated the strategy and team to transform Nigeria. It won't always be easy, but our momentum is strong and our vision for Nigeria is clear: through an improved power sector, stronger educational system, better security, and policies that promote Nigerian business development and jobs. Nigeria will play big globally as we approach the year 2020.

18. Nigeria has the talent, skill, determination and passion to reach this ambitious - but achievable - goal. And our administration led by the Peoples Democratic Party has the right priorities and strategy to make it happen.

19. Let us seek the Nigerian peoples mandate together as a united party and pursue the affairs of good governance for the next four years. This is more than a set of policies or new ideas - it is about all Nigerians joining hands to turn the page.

20. Together, all party members, activists and people of Nigeria can work to win the forth- coming elections at all levels.

21. I Thank you all and God bless you.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin.
For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue-
unsubscribe@googlegroups.com