YOPAM ENDORSES JONATHAN

From ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE Kaduna
Posted: Monday, September 6, 2010

Yoruba community in the 19 Northern States under the aegis of Yoruba Political Awareness Movement (YOPAM), has endorsed the candidacy of President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2011 Presidential race, describing the emergence of his administration as divine which should be allowed to continue for the overall development of the country.
The movement in a statement made available to the New Nigerian by its Northern States Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Arigbabuwo after a special meeting of the movement in Kaduna at the weekend, stated that their decision to support President Jonathan and his vice, Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo came after a thorough observation of the administration’s zeal and commitment towards fast tracking the nation’s drive towards development.
While it stated that unstable power supply was the major impediment to the Nigerian economic development for decades, YOPAM noted with satisfaction that President Jonathan had taken the bull by the horn by personally heading the Ministry of Power and steel so as to address the problems associated with the sector without further delay.
“This administration has within the limited period of its emergence demonstrated high level of readiness to do the wishes of the masses. It is on this note that we have endorsed the candidacy of President Jonathan and decided to support him for the 2011 Presidential race”, Arigbabuwo stressed.
According to him, the Jonathan led administration has also been able to permanently solved the chronic problem of fuel scarcity in the country as Nigerian refineries, were working at full capacity, which he said was responsible for the disappearance of the queues in the filling stations despite the stability in the price of fuel.
“We also observed the giant stride of the Jonathan led government in the revival of textile industries in the Northern Region. United Nigeria Textile Plc, has commenced production and we the Yoruba community in the Region are happy. This is going to reduce the ever growing unemployment rate in the region and the country at large, because so many families benefit from the textile companies”, YOPAM Chairman stated.
He also noted with commendation the federal government’s efforts geared towards the revival of the New Nigerian Newspapers limited through the inauguration of a committee to look into settlement of the liabilities owed the company by the federal government, saying that development will go along way in restoring the lost glory of the newspaper organization.
The movement however called on the Northern State governments, owners of the New Nigerian Newspapers to wake up to their own responsibilities to the company as it is the only newspaper company belonging to the region. “New Nigerian must not be allowed to die, because it the only voice of the Northern Nigerian,” he said.
YOPAM urged the federal government to maintain the tempo of delivering the dividends of democracy to the masses of Nigeria, including the promises made to the Oduduwa descendants in the nineteen Northern states.