President Goodluck Jonathan will tuesday at the Eagle Square in Abuja, declare his bid to
vie for a second term in office, the
committee set up to prepare the framework
for his declaration stated sunday.
A key part of the declaration by the
president will be the unveiling of a new
campaign slogan, "Nigerians First, Nigerians
Always. Let's Do It Together".
Making this known at a briefing in Abuja,
the Chairman of the Media and Publicity
Sub-committee, Senator Aniete Okon,
however refused to disclose the cost of the
declaration, stating that it was private and
secret to the president.
Okon, who is a former National Publicity
Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP), said the president's declaration
would be attended by more than 2,000 pro-
Goodluck Jonathan groups, members of the
PDP, women's groups, as well as members
of the civil society.
He said the occasion would be momentous,
as the president would use it to launch his
new campaign slogan whose essence is to
identify with Nigerians who are central to
the desire of the president to seek a
second term in office.
The message of the slogan, he said, seeks
to eradicate poverty and raise the bar on
improving the living standards of all
Nigerians.
"This is the central issue to the declaration.
Also, it is expected to help rejuvenate the
efforts of government and re-dedicate the
goals of an egalitarian society for the nation
and the people of Nigeria.
"That is the essence of the declaration
which is to inspire government to do what
is always good for the people. Government
is all about improving the welfare of the
people, so the essence is to seek a fresh
mandate on this basis.
"Before 2011, the life expectancy of all
Nigerians was low. But now, things have
greatly improved in all spheres of life and
we are making great and steady progress,"
Okon stated.
On why the president is declaring without a
resolution in sight on the 219 Chibok
schoolgirls still held in captivity by Boko
Haram, he asked: "Are you therefore saying
that he should not declare until we find the
kidnapped girls. Are you saying that he
should not renew his mandate with the
Nigerian people?
"By and large, with the declaration, the
president is set to pursue the path of
transformation to ensure every Nigerian has
hope and believes there is a caring and
listening government that has raised the bar
and quality of lives for Nigerians."
He refused to open up on the source of
funding for the declaration, stating: "The
cost is secret and private to the president
and it is not for public consumption. We all
contributed towards the declaration."
According to Okon, six foreign capitals
would air the president's declaration live.
The initiative, he explained, is being
spearheaded by the president's supporters
in the Diaspora under the banner, One
Nigeria Coalition.
The cities are Washington DC, San
Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, London
and Johannesburg.
Cities whose time zones are close to
Nigeria like London and Johannesburg, are
expected to transmit from the nation's
capital, while others are expected to hook
up later.
In Abuja, security around the Three Arm
Zone and Eagle Square has been beefed up,
with security personnel taking over the
entire landscape of the area.
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