By Ishola Oludare Former Nigerian Vice President and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)...
By Ishola Oludare
Former Nigerian Vice President and presidential aspirant on
the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has given
reasons the nation has been further divided.
Atiku said the disunity was because the President Muhammadu
Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government has been unfair to all
parts of the country.
According to the presidential aspirant, the nation was not
this disunited during the civil war era, adding that insecurity has been a major
challenge facing the nation.
Atiku spoke on Saturday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while
addressing PDP delegates ahead of the forthcoming presidential primaries.
The 2019 PDP presidential candidate said the Olusegun
Obasanjo government, which he served under as the VP from 1999 to 2007, united
Nigerians by forming a government of national unity.
The Waziri Adamawa said it would not be easy to govern a
multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation if there is no unity and peace.
He promised to unite Nigeria by giving every part a sense of
belonging, by tackling insecurity and implementing his economic development
blueprint towards transforming the country.
He vowed to ensure the devolution of powers from the states
and local governments, adding that he would not disappoint Nigerians if elected
next president.
“We have never witnessed the kind of disunity we have today
in this country, even during the civil war; and why do we have disunity? It is
because the APC government has not been fair to all parts of this country,”
Atiku said.
While promising to unify Nigeria, he recalled that “we have
done it before in 1999 when we came on board.”
He recounted that a sitting governor a few days ago, while
declaring for president promised to ensure local government autonomy.
However, he observed that the said governor does not give
autonomy to the local governments in his state, saying “you can see the
hypocrisy from some of our leaders.”
He promised to initiate constitutional reforms to give
states and local governments more powers and more resources.
“If you vote for me, I promise I will not fail you and I
will not fail Nigeria,” he asserted.
Speaking, a governorship aspirant in Ogun, Hon. Ladi Adebutu
also lamented the level of insecurity and joblessness, expressing confidence
that the PDP “is on a course to restore Nigeria and Ogun State to winning
ways.”
Atiku was in Ogun Raymond Dokpesi, Senator Dino Melaye and
others.
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