Why Jonathan’s mandate should be renewed —Campaign group

President Goodluck Jonathan needs another term in office, to consolidate on his modest achievements in his first term, a group dedicated to his re-election has said. The group, Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), said Jonathan’s imprints in all sectors, justified a renewal of his mandate for another four years. Its spokesperson, Professor Joe Okanlawon who made this position known in Awka, Anambra State, said with his transformation agenda, Jonathan had positively impacted on the people and the polity. The professor of Sociology while reeling out Jonathan’s achievements, singled out the revolution in the power sector as an outstanding achievement, adding that effective power reform could not be ignored by any individual, irrespective of the level of political antagonism. To him, the ideal reasoning, would be to allow the president consolidate on his achievements. Okanlawon noted that a great number of small-scale industries that were forced to shut down, due to erratic power supply were now back in operation, with credit going largely to the giant strides of Jonathan’s government in the power sector. He added that the situation, before Jonathan came on board, was so bad that the industrialists had to rely on expensive alternative sources of power which sky- rocketted production cost and consequently, high cost of goods. The high production cost, according to him, also led to many being thrown into the unemployment world, as small scale industries were forced to fold up. Okanlawon pointed out that things, however, started looking up for the country when the president through reform policies embarked on a systematic restructuring of the power sector by way of privatisation and unbundling, which made it possible for over 4000kw of electricity to be generated and distributed across the country. The effect, he noted, was the return of entrepreneurs who were out of job. He revealed that TAN in demonstration of its support for Jonathan in an unusual radical way, sponsored 15 people to Brazil to watch the Super Eagles during the recently concluded World Cup, where souvenirs were distributed. Okanlawon vowed that his group would not rest on its oars until the president’s mandate was renewed, noting that “the reward for hard work is more work”.