The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagged off its campaign yesterday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State with its presidential candidate, Mr. Atiku Abubakar pledging that a vote for him and the party in 2023 would be a return to prosperity and farewll to hunger, poverty, insecurity, unemployment, underdevelopment and disunity.
Addressing his supporters at Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, where the official kick off of the campaign was held, Atiku said the PDP “lifted Nigeria from the bottom to the top” from 1999 to 2015 and blamed the woes currently plaguing the country on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Nigeria wants to be like Akwa Ibom. You know why? Because since 1999, you have not changed party, but you can see the development that is taking place here in Akwa Ibom.
”You can see the prosperity that is taking place in Akwa Ibom, you can see the security that is available in Akwa Ibom. So the rest of Nigeria would like to be like Akwa Ibom.
“We want to dedicate the launching of this campaign to the achievements of Akwa Ibom PDP for good governance. When PDP came to power in 1999, we met Nigeria in a state of poverty, insecurity, hunger, lack of education.
“We lifted Nigeria from the bottom to the top. We became the biggest economy in Africa, we had peace, we had progress but when Nigerians said they wanted change, they voted for change in 2015.
“What we have seen is poverty, insecurity, lack of jobs and disunity. Our children are no longer going to school. Is that what we want to continue in?
“So, today (yesterday), we have inaugurated the flag off of our campaign to rescue Nigeria from hunger, to rescue Nigeria from poverty, and also bring back the unity that we require in this country.
“I want to appeal to all Nigerians; I am standing in Akwa Ibom today to ask them to vote for PDP. If you vote for PDP, it would be a return to prosperity, it would be a return to unity, it would be a return to your safety. There would be no more hunger, there would be security.
“I swear, if you vote for PDP, you will not be out of school, you will get jobs, there will be security, there will be unity,” he said.
The PDP standard bearer also called on Nigerians not to trust the All Progressives Congress (APC) with power and decried the present situation in the country in which children are afraid to go to school for fear of being taken hostage by terrorists.
He also condemned the continued closure of public universities due to what he termed the mismanagement of the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Besides, he said when the PDP handed over government to APC in 2015, it handed over the fastest growing economy, where the value of the naira to the dollar was N187.
He lamented that today the exchange rate had gone to nearly N800 to the dollar.
For Atiku’s running mate and governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa said there are challenges and problem in Nigeria and that “we are looking for a rescuer and PDP is coming back to rescue.”
He added: “When you want to rescue a people, particularly, in the military, because we are in a war, everything has gotten so bad; you do not go to war with a lieutenant leading, some other parties are presenting lieutenants but PDP is presenting a general.
“In the political field and governance of Nigeria, when you are talking about experience, then Atiku Abubakar is a general. We cannot allow lieutenants to lead because they will lead us to doom.
“We believe that PDP is the only party that is prepared to rescue this nation. After you have rescued the nation, you will also need experience to be able to restore and rebuild.
“We want a nation that is in unity, we want a nation, where people can trust each other. This is what Atiku Abubakar offers to us as a people and as Nigerians. He is one man that is connected across this nation. One man that people are comfortable with in the six geopolitical zones of this nation. He understands Nigeria and we know that he has the capacity and experience to unify us as a people.
“He is one man, who is willing to take the bull by the horn and not to pay lip service. He is one man, who has the capacity to tame the insecurity in this country and I believe that with his experience as Vice President, he will stir the government of this country on the right path again.
“The presidential candidate of PDP has recognised that when we have stronger states and stronger local government that is more functional with more capacity, then, we can develop together. That is very key and he has promised to do that. He is the only one that promised that he is going to ensure that we have state police. So, I want you to come out and vote because that is the way out of this present government.”
In his speech, the governor of Akwa Ibom State and chairman, PDP presidential campaign council, Mr. Udom Emmanuel said the party would restore hope and faith in the common dreams of the people.
He said poverty had reached misery indices and called on Nigerians to checkmate the hardship caused by the APC led government.
“The campaigns to restore Nigeria, revitalise the gains and growth of our prosperity, even the parts of our unity that has been fractured, restore hope and faith in our common dreams and aspirations begins today.
“Poverty today has gotten to misery indices. When PDP handed over power, the exchange rate was N186 to a dollar. Today, the exchange rate is almost N800 to a dollar.
“When PDP handed over power, Nigeria had the largest economy in the entire Africa. Today, all those indices have been battered.
“Today, we want to flag off the hope for Nigeria; we want to flag off the rescue mission to Nigeria, we want to flag off the restoration mood to Nigeria. We want to tell Nigerians the ship is beginning to sail today; we want to tell Nigerians, the train is moving today,” he said.
The national chairman of the party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, in his speech, appealed to the aggrieved members of the party to forget their grievances and come on board for the sake of rescuing Nigeria.
“The PDP train has started moving and we have left the station, but we are moving slowly so that those who are yet on board will join us on the train. It is important for us as leaders. Nigeria is not interested in our personal quarrels, Nigeria is waiting for us to come and rescue them from what is worrying them.
“The PDP knows what is worrying Nigerians, Nigerians are hungry, Nigerians are suffering from all sorts of sicknesses, Nigerians cannot move from one point to another without worries, Nigerians cannot sleep because of insecurity, Nigerians are getting more and more divided, Nigerians are complaining and are hoping that what we did for them in the last 16 years, we will come back and do it for them again.
“Let us all join hands together, because we have the solution. Already, we have penned down the covenant with Nigerians, we will restore the economy to its glory. Nigerians will be happy; all young people will get jobs, the economy will grow, there will be more industries.
“Every PDP governor has performed well. Therefore, when we get to power from state houses of assembly to the governors, the national assembly we need all of them to support our president, who is coming to power next year to redeem Nigerians, therefore, we don’t have much to say today but want to thank you all for trooping in large numbers to have faith in us and PDP will not disappoint you,” he said.
The director general, PDP presidential campaign management committee and governor of Sokoto State, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal flayed the APC’s Muslim-Muslim saying the APC presidential ticket was against the federal character.
He appealed to Nigerians to vote PDP describing Atiku and Okowa as tested and experienced politicians and administrators.
“Today is a very historic day in the history of this country of ours as we present the most competent of all of us that are running for the presidency of this country as at today, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. The ticket of Atiku/Okowa has recognised the plurality and capacity of Nigeria and has respected our character as a nation and our party is presenting forth this two great Nigerians that have the capacity, the character, and the competence to move the country forward.
“Our party is on a mission to rescue Nigeria and to restore its values and I believe the other party, their candidature is not only against the federal character but against the constitution of Nigeria, because it doesn’t reflect the federal character of Nigeria. From day one, they are planning to plant a seed of discord in this country and we must not allow that to happen.
“We have a balanced ticket; we have a ticket that can rescue Nigeria through its current situation and I appeal to all of you men and women of goodwill to join this train of Atiku/Okowa to rescue, reset and restore Nigeria.”
Those present at the campaign flag off were the former senate presidents, Messrs Anyim Pius Anyim, David Mark, Bukola Saraki, among others.
Governors at the event included Douye Diri, Bayelsa State; Darius Ishaku, Taraba State; and Ahmadu Fintiri, Adamawa State.
However, the G-5 governors Messrs Nyesom Wike (Rivers State), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State), Samuel Ortom (Benue State), Seyi Makinde (Oyo State) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State) boycotted the event.
