oppression.
He stated this when the leaders of market women groups, known as Iyalojas, in Lagos and environs, paid him a solidarity visit at the State House, Marina, Lagos.
Jonathan, who was reacting to the complaint of high-handedness and witch-hunting made by the market women against the All Progressives Congress-led Lagos State Government.
He told the market women, and indeed, all traders in the country that the PDP administration would provide the
enabling environment for them to ply their trades.
“Our victory at the polls will free all Lagos traders from
oppression. You need to be free; we will remove Lagos from
bondage,’’ he said.
He commended the women for supporting his re-election
bid and urged them not to be intimidated by their
opponents.
The President added, “I have listened to you; you have been
carrying the PDP flag; you have been humiliated but you
still marched on.
“Thank you for working hard for PDP; this is the final
struggle and time for us to use all our strength to achieve
victory.
“If we struggle and win Lagos State, everybody will do his
business without being harassed or intimidated.”
Earlier, the leader of the market women, Hajia Aminat
Hussein, had told the president that they had stood behind
PDP since its inception but regretted that the members
suffered harassment under in Lagos State.
She said in spite of the attempts by APC “to buy over many
of the market women”, the women would mobilise
themselves in the state and in other states to ensure victory
for the president.
“We are promising you that you will not lose in Lagos; this
coming election is for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and God is
with you,’’ she added.
A former Minister of State for Defence and current
ministerial-nominee, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who led
the led the group, told the President that the group was
working to tell the world that the ruling party in Lagos “are
not untouchables.”
Obanikoro added, “These women are more concerned about
the reality than news in the social media. APC will be
shocked on election day; we believe in our President.
“I do not know of any president that is as humble as
Jonathan. If you have such a man as President, your
interest will be protected,’’ he said.
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