Our plans for Nigeria, by Atiku, Tinubu, Obi

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Post created on 11:16 am

 

 

The presidential candidates of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday articulated what they would do, if elected.

The trio spoke as guest speakers at the Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference, NBA-AGC holding in Lagos, which also had in attendance the presidential candidates of African Democratic Party, Mr Dumebi Kachikwu, Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo and All Progressives Grand Alliance, Peter Umeadi.

Although Tinubu was represented by his running mate, Kashim Shettima, Atiku Abubakar, Obi and the other presidential candidates were physically present.

Speaking at the conference, Atiku said he would hand over Federal Government-owned universities to state governments.

Atiku, who stated this as a panelist at the opening ceremony of the  conference, with the theme ‘’Bold Transitions’’, said  the government doesn’t have infinite resources to continue to shoulder the cost of university education in the country, especially against the backdrop of ongoing strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, which had been on for over six months.

“The only way is to make sure that you make conducive environment available to both foreign and local investors to participate in our country, whether it is infrastructure, education or power.

“The children you send to America, to England, who own those universities? Mostly the private sector. So, why is it that you think we cannot do it here? We don’t have the money.”

He also said one of his major goals in vying for the 2023 general election was to unite Nigerians to fight insecurity.

Atiku, who noted that Nigerians had never been this divided in her history, uniting Nigerians remains one of his five-fold plans for the country.

Atiku also said he would abolish the multiple exchange rate and devolve more powers to the states if elected president.

On his part, Shettima, who represented  Bola Tinubu at the conference, said his principal  will replicate the wonders in Lagos and Borno states, if elected president.

The former governor of Borno State disclosed that he built some of the best schools in the state during his tenure, adding that Tinubu’s administration will address issues of the economy and security, among others.

In his presentation, , Mr Peter Obi said the 2023 election will not be about religion or tribe but character and competence in leadership.

He said:  “Nigeria is in a mess. We got here simply because of the cumulative effect of bad leadership. The coming election is not about tribe or religion but about character and competence. We need a bold transition from a highly insecure state to a highly secure state.”

Obi also stated that his approach to tackle the worsening exchange rate problem in the country will be to encourage manufacturing and export of goods and services.