By Muhammad Bello
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has reiterated his resolve to salvage Nigeria from the stranglehold of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Alhaji Abubakar made the pledge again at the overfilled Sam Ogbemudia stadium in Benin city, Edo state on Saturday in continuation of his campaign tour of states in the country.
Urging the people of the state and Nigerians to close ranks and maintain fidelity with the PDP, the candidate listed the ills the ruling party has foisted on the people as the destruction of the economy and foreclosure of educational and employment opportunities.
He, therefore, pledged to: reunify the country, restore security, develop education, revamp the economy and develop infrastructure, in his more than seven minutes remarks interspersed with slogans of: “Edo no be Lagos! E no go be Lagos lai lai!!”
“We will give each and every part of the country a sense of belonging. You will not be excluded from anything. That is why we’re being referred to as the unifiers of our great nation.
“Whatever it is going to take us to do, we shall restore security in this country, so that you can travel day and night, go to your farms and anywhere secured.
“We will put more policemen on the streets. We will equip and fortify them. We promise to devolve more powers to the states and local governments so that you can also have your own local police.
“We shall make sure that your local police don’t harass you.
“We shall send all our eligible children back to school. Every child must go to school. If you remember, during the PDP years we established free and compulsory primary to secondary education.
“But this government is not keeping to that promise. We promise you every child must go to school,” the former Vice President said.
He also promised that public universities will no longer go on strike by the grace of God,” while assuring that industries and factories will resume production if he is voted into office.
“We will make sure that there are enough jobs for our children who are passing out from the schools.
“We will work together with the private sector to make sure that industries and factories, particularly here in Edo, resume operations so that there will be enough jobs for you,” he added.
He appealed to the people of the state, who he thanked for giving him votes in 2019; and Nigeria to continue to have faith in the PDP.
“You have seen how APC has destroyed this country. They have destroyed the economy, educational opportunities, and job opportunities. APC is not a party to be supported.
“We have seen what Governor Obaseki has done in Edo state. We have seen what Governor Udom is doing in Akwa Ibom state. We have seen what Governor Tambuwal is doing in Sokoto state.
“Go to any PDP state, and you will find development, in education, infrastructure, and in everything. And, go to any APC state, you won’t find anything there,” he lamented just as he reemphasized that PDP will not fail the people of the country once it secures its mandate.
In his brief remarks also packed with slogans of: “Edo no be Lagos!!!”, the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO), Gov. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state assured the people of Edo that if they want economic prosperity, industrial development, job opportunities as well as women/youths inclusion, they should vote for all PDP candidates next year.
“Return all the candidates of PDP in February and March (2023). By the grace of God, we shall win and deliver on our promises of resetting Nigeria,” he added.
Bello is the Special Adviser of Media and Publicity to the Governor of Sokoto State
