Jonathan’s rally: I
knew I would be
booed — Daniel
By Francis Falola, Abeokuta
Monday, 14 Mar 2011

Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel has said that he had
foreknowledge of the booing that greeted his presence at the
official flag off of president Goodluck Jonathan ’s Presidential
campaign rally in Abeokuta.
Daniel, who is the South West
Peoples Democratic Party Coordinator of the Goodluck/ Sambo Presidential Campaign,
was booed by the supporters of the PDP at the rally at the MKO
Stadium in Abeokuta on Saturday.
But Daniel in his reaction to the
matter on Sunday, said theperpetrators of the act were
sponsored from neighbouring
states.
In a statement by his Chief Press
Secretary, Mr. Adegbenro
Adebanjo, Daniel said, “On
Saturday during President
Jonathan ’s campaign tour of
Ogun State, a section of the
crowd acting on the prompting
of those who hired them made
uncomplimentary remarks when
the name of Governor Daniel was
called by officials during
proceedings at the MKO Abiola
Stadium, Abeokuta.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we
want to put it on record that
there was nothing spontaneous
about the disrespectful act to the
person and office of the
Governor of Ogun State.
“It was a premeditated act by the
sponsors of the ignoble act who
having failed to get Daniel not to
attend the event decided to
embarrass him at the venue.
“They had hired some
undesirable elements mainly
from outside the state and
briefed them to heckle the
governor during the event. ”
The statement added, “It is not
that we were not aware of the
plot.
“Indeed various scenarios were
considered prior to the visit of
the President to Ogun State.
Some of the governor ’s advisers
had counselled that supporters
of the governor should be
mobilised to the venue to
counter the plot which had
already been uncovered by
security agents. ”
But the statement added that the
governor overruled this
suggestion because of security
considerations.
According to the statement, “the
situation could degenerate to a
face-off between both sides
which would have seriously
embarrassed the President and
mar the visit. And the plotters
would have gone to town
accusing the governor of
violence. ”