*At least 3 persons fainted at the rally
* She addressed a scanty crowd as many people had left
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
No fewer than three persons, including a policeman and two women, collapsed on Saturday at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin, after waiting for several hours in the scorching sun for Dame Patience Jonathan who was to address women groups under the auspices for Women for Change for Development Initiative, ahead of the 28 March Presidential election.
The victims who apparently collapsed from exhaustion, were immediately taken away in stretchers from the stadium to a nearby ambulance for medical attention.
Several other women who were tired of standing after a long wait, were also seen sitting on the hot astro turf at the stadium.
Mrs. Jonathan who was scheduled to arrive Benin at 8 a.m did not show up at the stadium until 1.35 pm when many of the women had left.
“Everybody does(sic) eight years. Now is our turn. Constitution provides two tenure of eight years. Why is our own different?”—Patience Jonathan
The president’s wife, while addressing the scanty crowd of women remaining at the stadium when she finally arrived, said her husband had performed well in office and stressed that God that made him President would see to his re-election., saying, “Goodluck asked me to go and tell them: Goodluck is coming back again, PDP is coming back again.”
She insisted that her husband must be allowed to do a second term of office, adding “everybody does eight years. Now is our turn. Constitution provides two tenure of eight years. Why is our own different?”
In apparent reference to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Gen. Buhari, Dame Jonathan said: “they were in Aso Rock before, what did they forget that they want to go and take?”
Mrs. Jonathan who seemed not comfortable with the anti corruption campaign of the APC and the way the issue of corruption has dominated the political space, wondered if corruption has a different meaning in Nigeria.
“In abroad if people worked hard and buy planes they were commended, but in Nigeria, no matter the business you do, if you buy a plane, you are corrupt,” she said.
She therefore called on women and the people of Edo State to vote en-masse for President Jonathan to enable him continue his good works, even as she promised women more appointments if her husband was re-elected.
“In abroad if people worked hard and buy planes they were commended, but in Nigeria, no matter the business you do, if you buy a plane, you are corrupt,” she said.
Three youths were also apprehended by other youths while removing the First Lady’s posters at the stadium. Two of them were however handed them to the police amidst beating, while the third youth escaped.
The boys who claim to be PDP members said they were angered by the low amount given to them by organisers of the event after they were mobilised to work at the stadium.
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Technically Buhari was never in Aso rock. The seat of power was in dodan barracks then. Mama "peace" do you even have advisors who intimate of you facts or... never mind.