New Telegraph

Saraki: I’ll rescue Nigeria from relegation

A presidential hopeful of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Bukola Saraki, yesterday said his blueprint for the development of Nigeria will include the prosperity agenda that delivered people- oriented projects in Delta State since 2015. Saraki’s consultation visit came barely 24 hours after former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, left the state.

 

Saraki said with his slogan ‘Enough Talk. Let’s Fix Nigeria’, he has laid his hands on the plough to reposition the country with bold ideas of economic transformation, hence, he would not be distracted. He said Nigeria is bedeviled with insecurity because 95 per cent of its youths are jobless. He said, what worked for Delta will work for Nigeria. “I will unleash a new sense of belonging on Nigeria polity.

 

The economy will be revamped with strong political will. We will move the oil and gas sector from point zero to optimum performance. “Insecurity will be a thing of the past because the youths will be gainfully employed, just as it has worked for Delta state.” He said Nigeria is on a precarious situation, following its categorization as a failing nation.

 

He said: “Over the last seven years, we have moved from a weak nation to failed nation. A failed nation is when the authority no longer has the monopoly of violence. Today, in this country, we have never seen that kind of insecurity before; the level of unemployment has never been this bad. Cost of living has never been bad either. From a failing government to the worst form imaginable.

 

“The world defines nations as three types; strong nation, weak nation, failed nation. The kind of president we need is the one that understands issues. You don’t give what you don’t have, if you don’t have the knowledge, quality, to provide infrastructure. We have moved from the time of Gowon when he said ‘we don’t know how to spend the money’. Now, there is no money to spend.

 

“There must be a president that can create investment, which can only come from private sector investors. As entrepreneur, you know Nigeria needs a president who knows what to do, that understands the private sector. “I was at Asaba Airport. I can see the difference-what it was a year ago is not what it is today. Investors come to Delta because they see an enabling environment to do business; because the Governor understands issues.

 

Why are investors not in other states? That is the problem we have with the president of Nigeria. That is why we need a president that is bold and courageous. “It is not going to be easy. Some are going around that they want to be president. They don’t know what they want. They have not thought over it.

 

They just want power for the sake of power. The challenges ahead are enormous. We just want a leader that can take courageous decisions. Some of the aspirants just want to be president.” Also in Benin, the Edo State capital, Saraki said he will restructure Nigeria, if elected president in 2023.

 

 

While meeting national delegates, he said that he was in Benin to seek the support of the delegates to rescue Nigeria, insisting that the 2023 election is one the country cannot afford to miss. “I am here to seek your support to rescue Nigeria.

 

The 2023 election is an election we can not afford to toy with.” “When I was governor in Kwara State, we made some investment in health, education, and agriculture. The model is still being used today. If I have the chance, I replicate it in Nigeria.

 

“Secondly, I want to restructure Nigeria. But we need a strong leader to restructure Nigeria. You cannot restructure Nigeria by executive order. You can restructure Nigeria by legislative order. I am the person that has the experience, who has been the head of the National Assembly.

 

Some of my colleagues are here, during my days as the president of the Senate, there was nothing the executive did not do to undermine the integrity of the National Assembly,but we stood our grounds.”

 

Reacting, the Edo PDP Chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, said Nigeria needs a man with the courage of Saraki to move the country out of the present economic and security challenges. In Bayelsa State, Saraki promised to fix the country, which he said, is nearing a total collapse. Speaking in Yenagoa where he went to woo delegates, Saraki said that Nigeria was moving towards becoming a failed state in terms of security and its poor economy, adding that Nigeria needs a competent person like him to reverse the drift.

 

According to the former Kwara State governor, ” Having served in different capacities, I have the experience both from the private and public sectors to lead the country out of its near state of collapse.” Earlier, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, said PDP delegates in the state would support any presidential aspirant of the party that will restructure Nigeria if elected.

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