Former Nigeria’s vice president, Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday, officially declared his intention to run for the office of Nigeria president in the 2023 election under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking at the event which held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, Abubakar said said under his leadership, he would focus on five key areas –unity of Nigeria, security, economy, education and devolving more resources and powers to the federating units.
He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed in its responsibility to protect the lives of its citizens.
He said if elected, he would use modern technology and intelligence to fight insecurity, and also improve the welfare of the security forces.
“The APC administration has failed in its fundamental responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians. The most significant human right is the right to life, which has not been protected under the APC administration,” he said.
“Our military forces are fighting on the front lines without equipment and morale. That is not fair. If we get into power, we will increase the welfare of all security forces. We will use modern technology and intelligence to combat insecurity. We will also increase the number of personnel for our security agencies.
Why security? Because national security is the first sign of a functional government, and where it does not exist, we must not blame those who threaten it. We can only blame a government that allows it to be threatened. And if I am elected as your President, insecurity is one thing I will not tolerate.”
Describing himself as “a unifier that has come to bond the broken union”, he said if elected, he would open dialogue for disgruntled Nigerians to air their grievances, and that everybody will be treated equally.
“Since the civil war, the unity of Nigeria has never been threatened as it is today. Nigerians are losing hope in the oneness of this country. My fellow Nigerians, I am the unifier that is coming to bond the broken union,” he said.
Meanwhile, Umaru Fintiri, the Adamawa State governor, has declared his support for the presidential bid of Mr. Abubakar
Mr Fintiri made this known on Wednesday in Abuja during the official declaration of Mr Abubakar.
The governor, also a member of the PDP, said the former vice president is the most experienced of all the presidential aspirants in all the political parties in the country.
He added that Adamawa State would rally around him to achieve his presidential bid.
Mr Abubakar is an indigene of Adamawa State. He was the country’s vice president between 1999 and 2007.
He was the PDP presidential candidate in 2019.
Mr Fintiri’s declaration of support for Mr Abubakar comes amidst controversies in the opposition PDP over the zoning of the presidential ticket.
Last year, the party zoned its national chairman position to the North and also micro-zoned it to the North-central geopolitical zone.
