BY Taiwo George
Patience Jonathan, Nigeria’s first lady, says Diezani Alison-Madueke’s emergence as president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is proof that she is not corrupt as widely believed.
Speaking on Thursday at the PDP women rally in Lagos, she said women are currently in possession of the resources of the country because they have proven to be reliable and trustworthy.
She commended President Goodluck Jonathan for giving women a sense of belonging in his administration, and encouraged participants to vote for him for “his good works” to continue.
“I want you to know that in this PDP government of Goodluck Ebele and Sambo, out of 42 cabinet members, 15 are women,” she said.
“Jonathan did not only give women 16 slots, he said women are honest, trustworthy, loyal and we can contribute to the development of this great country and he gave us ministry of finance and the ministry of petroleum.
“The money of Nigeria is in the pocket of women and because we are trustworthy and honest, anytime Nigeria needs money, we bring it out from our pocket and say take go and do your work, go and do projects. Let the people of Nigeria benefit. Jonathan gave us all the powerful positions.”
She said the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been accusing the ruling party of corruption when in actual fact, it could not prove its innocence.
“Don’t listen to whatever they are calling us,” she said.
“They keep saying corruption, corruption, are they saints? Are they not corrupt? Even the corruption they are accusing petroleum minister of, what of them? They keep saying that she is this, that she is that. Why did they make her the president of OPEC if truly she is corrupt? Such international appointment. Why didn’t they say she is corrupt?”
She canvassed votes for Jimi Agbaje, the party’s gubernatorial candidate in Lagos, saying that the people will not regret supporting the PDP during the election.
“I want you to know that if you vote PDP, you will never regret it because PDP will touch your doorstep,” she said.
“Goodluck Jonathan will do it and I am assuring you that Jimi Agbaje will do the same. A lion cannot beget a goat, a lion begets a lion and Goodluck has delivered Agbaje. What Jonathan is doing at the federal level, he has told Agbaje to continue. I will stand by Agbaje because he will do the same. Agbaje, if you win in Lagos state, carry the women along.”
She further said voting for APC was nothing but a waste because Muhammadu Buhari, the party’s presidential candidate, would not help the cause of the women.
“PDP Is incomparable, the winning party, unbeatable party,” she said.
“When next the other party comes to Lagos state, I want you the women to ask them a question, the question you will ask is, when they were there before, what did they do? When he was there as head of state, what did he do for the Nigerian women? Did he remember Nigerian Women?
“What you did not do at younger age, is it now when you are old that you will do it? Can you change left hand at old age? So know that they are just deceiving you. They have said that what they did before, they will bring it back again. You kept us inside the house before and now you are lying to us.
“PDP don’t tell lies; we don’t fabricate stories; we are not propagandist, we talk and do it and that is why the slogan of Jonathan and that of the PDP is to do more. Goodluck has done it and he will do it again.”
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