Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has stated the reason he is persisting of being Nigeria’s president after repeated unsuccessful attempts.
Mr Abubakar officially declared interest in next year’s presidential race in Abuja on Wednesday. He is to battle other contestants for the ticket of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He explained his reasons to crowd of supporters and party faithfuls who conveyed at the International Conference Center, about a week after the expression of interest and nomination forms of the opposition party was presented to him.
“I have contested for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria a couple of times in the past,” he said. “My enduring persistence is borne out of my passion to rekindle the Nigerian dream that I was privileged to live.
“Nigeria is a land of possibility. There is no challenging background that will make any Nigerian give up. I am a living witness to what is possible in Nigeria.
“I offer myself to rescue the sinking ship. Under my captainship, this ship will sail to a brighter course by the grace of God.
“It is a choice between two paths: the path of unity and progress or the path of division and backwardness.
“We need a new kind of leadership that will steer us to a positive path. In 2023, we want a President who has ideas on how to fix Nigeria. We want a president who understands, inspires and is empathetic.
“As the election is fast approaching, we should not be distracted from the devastating conditions we are in now.
What I will do if elected
“Under my presidency, there will be a new Nigeria, where everybody has an equal voice and is heard.
“Throughout my life, I have never looked at Nigerians as divided people.
“ In my eyes, all Nigerians are the same. When I see you, I don’t see Yoruba or Hausa or Igbo or Fulani or a northerner or southerner; when I see you, I only see a Nigerian, and I expect the best from you.
“All Nigerians are equal and should be seen and treated equally. There is no unity without justice and fairness. That is why I will deliver leadership of justice and fairness.
“We will provide access to mechanized farming systems and develop the agricultural value chain. We must diversify our foreign exchange sources through exports of processed agricultural products.”
Speaking on the current fuel crisis in the country, Abubakar said that Nigerians could not afford to pay high petrol prices.
“This is why we must ensure sufficient refining capacities within Nigeria. If we do that, petrol will be cheaper because it is locally produced.
“In the meantime, we will protect Nigerians from higher petrol prices through a new comprehensive energy policy.
“To provide an adequate and affordable electricity supply for every Nigerian, we will ensure sufficient investment in the sector. We will leverage renewable energies to power homes and commercial centers.
“My administration is going to be a transition of power from the senior generation to a younger generation.
“We will cut down the cost of governance because leaders must sacrifice first for the benefit of the people.
“We will set our fiscal budget within a realizable and realistic level so that we can reduce government debts. We will support and actively engage the private sector in building infrastructure and creating more job opportunities,” he added.
