- Vows to tackle insecurity, revamp education, unite Nigeria if elected president
By Banji Ayoola
Ex-Vice President and a presidential aspirant under the banner of the leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has blamed the worrisome disunity prevailing in the country on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said that Nigeria now needs someone who has the capability of restructuring Nigeria and completely eradicating the menace of insecurity currently ravaging almost every part of the country.
Besides, he accused the ruling party of ballot snatching, stuffing, and manipulation of every election in the country since it assumed power in 2015.
Vowing to unite Nigeria, tackle insecurity, and revamp education if elected president, he promised to to rebuild Nigeria if elected presidential in the forthcoming 2023 election.
He spoke in Akure, the Ondo State capital on Sunday night at a meeting with his party’s delegates of the ahead of the party’s primaries later in the month.
Abubakar specifically urged the delegates to vote for someone who is capable of restructuring Nigeria and eradicating the menace of insecurity.
Promising to focus on the unity of the country and ensure that everyone is carried along in the country if elected as president of the country, he vowed to recruit more policemen and military men if elected.
He noted that the country is dealing with various degrees of insecurity, he said that employing more capable hands with equipment is one of the best ways out.
He appreciated the people of the State for trusting him and voting for him as the candidate of PDP in the 2019 election and urged the delegates to vote for him in the primaries.
He also asked the people of the state to vote him in the general election promising to provide adequate funding for education, because “education is key to everything.”
According to him: “We can only achieve this if you, as delegates support me and I win the nomination and I go ahead to win the election. Atiku Abubakar is a household name in Ondo State. That is why you gave me over 35,000 vote margin In the last election. You deserve the best in this country.”
He said he would support devolving more power to states and local governments so that they could deal with their problems effectively.
He said: “I will give Ondo a special place in my government. My number one priority is to unify the people of this country. How do I unify the people of this country? I will be fair to every part of this country, I will give a sense of belonging to every part of this country, and every part of this country will feel they are part of this country.
“It is that unity that will enable us again to live as one nation, one people under God. Every part of this country is dealing with one aspect of insecurity or the other, I will be very tough on law and order.
”I will increase the number of policemen in this country, I will equip them, I will also increase the number of the armed forces, equip them very well, just like we did from 1999 to 2015. It is only when you secure the country, that there is peace, there is law, and order, and you can deal with economic challenges.
“Education is key to everything. We can only achieve this if you, as delegates support me and I win the nomination and I go ahead to win the election.”
He dismissed the insinuations in some quarters that he was not strong enough and had been moving across the Southwestern states by road to meet delegates in the last couple of days.
“It is that unity that will enable us again to live as one nation, one people under God. Every part of this country is dealing with one aspect of insecurity or the other, I will be very tough on law and order.”
He lamented that the present economy of Nigeria is nothing to right home about, promising to properly see to the economy so as to bring succour to Nigerians.
Reacting, the State PDP Chairman, Hon. Fatai Adams who assured Abubakar that the state delegates would “compensate” him with their votes.
In attendance at the gathering among others were immediate past governor of the state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; former Deputy Governor, Ambassador Omolade Oluwateru; the governorship candidate of PDP in Ondo State, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede SAN, Chief Olusegun Adegoke and Dr. Eddy Olafeso.
