Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, outlined five key areas of his policies for the nation if elected president on Wednesday during the Presidential Campaign Council’s inaugural meeting.
By promoting equality, social justice, reciprocal cooperation, and consensus among the various ethnic groups that make up the country, he vowed to bring back Nigeria’s unity.
Atiku also emphasized the necessity of establishing a powerful and effective democratic administration, one in which the protection of the lives and property of the populace would come first.
Additionally, the candidate pledged to build a strong, resilient, inclusive, and prosperous economy that creates opportunity, wealth, and jobs while helping the disadvantaged escape poverty.
Additionally, he envisioned a framework that would support the establishment of a truly federal structure with an equal federal government and representation for all of the federating entities.
Atiku pledged to implement a system that will protect the populace and secure the nation’s borders while maintaining national cohesion.
He declared that the federating units would be free to expand and develop in accordance with the priorities they have independently established.
The card also outlines a strategy to revamp, bolster, and invest in the educational system so that those who receive it have the knowledge and abilities required to compete in the new, science- and technology-driven, global order as well as lead healthy, fruitful, and fulfilling lives.
“To undertake these tasks, members of our party, the PDP, have, graciously, granted me the ticket to lead the party in next year’s presidential elections, with the singular mandate to come and lead the efforts to cure these ills.
“So, what is our task that we are gathered here today to undertake? It is beyond merely coming together to inaugurate a Presidential Campaign Council. No. Our task today is to come together to rescue and rebuild our beloved country, Nigeria. That is the end goal. It is existential to us as a nation, and it is a task that history beckons upon us all to grasp with both hands and undertake with vigour and zeal.
“The tasks ahead may appear daunting; they may seem a load too heavy to bear. But, for the sake of our country, for the sake of our children, and for the sake of generations yet unborn, we must not, even for one minute, shirk in the responsibilities that we have been entrusted with to come together to rebuild this beloved country of ours”.
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, who serves as the head of the presidential campaign council, criticized the activities of people he labeled “doomsayers” and claimed that their antics couldn’t divert attention from the PDP.
Emmanuel said: “I want to say here, don’t mind the doomsayers. I read every where all those doomsayers saying PDP here, PDP there. But I want to assure you that PDP is a solid rock and we know that no matter the wind, it will not move the rock.
“So, irrespective of the wind that you see around the rock, it will not move the rock. The rock remains as solid as ever. Please, don’t mind the doomsayers. We want to assure you that we are campaigning to win. Nothing is acceptable to PDP outside victory for PDP. But this will also require that all of us must also work.
“If we had made mistakes in the past, we cannot wind down the clock. We cannot recall what passed yesterday. But we can move forward in the spirit of oneness, unity and progress.
“I want to assure you that as a campaign council, we have the seriousness and unity that is required.
“It is our duty to campaign, to carry and publicise the message on how to rescue and restore the hope of Nigerians. It is for Nigerians to vote and for the Almighty to give victory”.
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, who serves as the director general of the PDP Campaign Management Committee, stated that the organization will get started right away.
He declared that in order to assure the party’s success, members of the campaign organization will work together as a family and quickly.
Tambuwal said: “The PDP is the party to beat in this election. It is only for us to work and with God on our side we shall deliver this victory to our party and to Nigerians.
“We have the support of Nigerians and we appeal that INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) will conduct a free and fair election, and victory by the grace of God will be guaranteed for PDP”, Tambuwal said.
The council’s inaugural speaker, Deputy National Chairman Damagum, described the campaign as a difficult assignment that must be undertaken with the utmost sense of patriotism.
He said: “The legacies of our party while in government speak volumes. We can no longer stay by the side and blow our trumpet. As we all know, the PDP and indeed our presidential candidate had successfully piloted the apheres of the nation at a particular time.
“Atiku has been tested and Nigerians have no doubt in his capacity to rescue our nation from total collapse. While we are making every effort to unify all aggrieved individuals or groups arising from the primaries, we know that PDP is more focused than now”.
Two former Senate Presidents, David Mark and Pius Anyim, the chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Adulphus Wabara, and the former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, were present at the event.
Members of the National Assembly, former ministers, governors, and party national chairs from the past were also present.
However, the inauguration was not attended by former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was scheduled as a special guest of honor.
