‘Yoruba Leaders Got Blood Money From Jonathan’ -Fashola

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola has accused some Yoruba leaders of betraying the Yoruba people by collecting blood money from President Goodluck Jonathan.
President Jonathan is alleged to have given many traditional rulers in Yoruba land millions of naira to champion his campaign, while the Afenifere elders are also accused of collecting dollars to support Jonathan’s ambition.
The governor, who spoke at the All Progressives Congress, APC, rally in Shomolu, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, on Tuesday said the Yoruba needed to rethink, saying that posterity would judge those who collected the money to betray the Yoruba people.
“The Yoruba need to have a rethink. Some Yoruba leaders have betrayed us the yoruba because of money. This election is for freedom.
“And this was how it happened in the past which prompted the late Hubert Ogunde to sing one of his songs titled ‘Yoruba rethink,’. The money is blood money. And posterity will judge them for that action,” he said.

The governor also said the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba did not have the power to order Nigerians to stay away from polling units after casting their votes.
Fashola said the IGP and others clamouring for such move and asking the electorate to stay 300 metres away from the polling unit were simply election riggers, as the Electoral Act did not bar the electorate from waiting after the election until the votes were counted.
The governor urged Lagosians to discard the IGP’s directive and be ready to wait and ensure their votes were counted.
“Cast your vote and stay where you can see how the voting process is going on. It is not only the political parties that have interest in the election process. Citizens who aren’t affiliated to any of the political parties also have interest in the outcome of the polls. Asking electorate to stay 300 metres away from the polling units is like asking one to stay away from the polling units three times the length of a football field. And one cannot see whatever is happening. Those who said that planned to rig the election.
“The Electoral Act says that once the voting is completed in each of the polling units, the electoral officer must count the votes and announce the result to the residents. And that is how it is stated in the Electoral Law. If the residents are not there, who will the electoral officers announce the result of the election to? Stay close to the polling units and don’t disrupt the election process,” he said.
APC gubernatorial candidate, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode said he understood the dynamics of Lagos more than his opponent from the main opposition party who did not understand what is happening in all parts of the state except his residential axis.
He reiterated his promise to create an Employment Trust Fund which would make available N1 billion every year to each of the six divisions to provide loans for the army of unemployed youths in the state, thereby taking them off the streets.
Ambode also promised to introduce a small scale medium term entrepreneur credit guarantee scheme that would enable young graduates to access loans without having to approach commercial banks that would demand collaterals from them.
He urged all eligible voters in the State to turn out en masse on Saturday with their PVCs to cast their votes for the APC, advising them not to fight or allow themselves to be provoked into a row.
He stated that the PVC is their power and must be used well to effect the desired change in Nigeria.
Ambode added that with the current state of the economy, “if we don’t change the leadership of the country, Nigeria will go bankrupt and the little money in our pocket will not be enough to feed our family. And that is why we are saying that they could sleep in Lagos but the state belongs to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Democracy and Nigeria have found convergence and that convergence is to rescue the country.
“And that was why I have to appeal to you not to fight. Whatever strategy they adopted to intimidate you, don’t panic. Your PVC is your power. Voting for our party (APC) on Saturday is the only way you can reduce the exchange rate, create employment and have a 24-hour economy in the country.
“Don’t stay 300 metres away from the polling units. Go to the polling units with your phones and record the process. We are marching to victory.”

March 25, 2015