Immediate past Senate leader, Teslim Kolawole Folarin, yesterday said the country’s Presidency is not for sale.
Folarin stated this in Igbo Ora, Oyo state, while speaking with journalists, shortly after receiving over 3,000 defectors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Accord Party [AP] into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Apparently referring to an alleged move by some politicians in the opposition party to raise about N150 billion for the 2015 presidential election, Senator Folarin declared that the nation’s Presidency was meant for serious minded political party like the PDP.
He emphasised the need for a second term ticket for President Goodluck Jonathan considering the positive impact of his ongoing transformation agenda to the growth of the nation’s economy.
He said: “No doubt the President is trying and doing his best for this country. And to me, he deserves second term given the level of transformation taking place everywhere. My appeal to all Nigerians, including the opposition is to allow this man continue the transformation agenda for the good of all beyond next year.”
Folarin described those opposing Jonathan’s second term ambition, especially within the PDP as “nothing but enemies of Nigeria,” saying that they should forget about stopping the on-going transformation agenda of the President by May, 2015.
He assured the new members of a level playing ground in the party, saying that “it is only in PDP that their interest could be well protected” and that at the appropriate time, they would be told why PDP was a party that they needed.”
Welcoming the defectors, Hon Ajibola Muraina, representing Ibarapa North and Ibarapa Central Federal Constituency, lauded them for dumping APC at the right time having realised that the party had been deceiving them for long, pointing out that their interest would be well taken care of in the PDP.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Mrs. Limota Rasaki of the APC and Chief Wale Egunbambi of the Accord party promised to work for the success of the PDP in the next elections.
The defectors were welcomed into the PDP by the Senate Deputy-Whip, Senator Hosea Ayoola Agboola, Hon. Ajibola Muraina; Hon. Yemi Taiwo, and other prominent PDP leaders in Oyo state.
