Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) says he will set aside $10bn for the employment of women and youth, which he would source through the sale of all the federal government-owned oil refineries.
The former vice president spoke during his campaign rally at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos on Monday.
Atiku also argued that the federal government and not Tinubu, developed Lagos, saying the APC government in the state had been lying that Lagos was turned around under Tinubu as the governor between 1999 and 2007. He recalled that major infrastructures in the state were built by the federal government.
He said the Third Mainland Bridge, the Agege Motor Road and Ikorodu Road, among others linking Lagos Island to the Mainland were built by the federal government at different times.
The PDP flag bearer was accompanied to the rally by his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State; former Senate Presidents; Dr. Bukola Saraki and Dr. Anyim Pius Anyim; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, among others.
“APC’s government has been telling you lies that they developed Lagos, they did not develop Lagos, they are lying. It is time for you to liberate yourself from a family government to the people’s government and it’s going to be led by Jandor,” he said
Atiku also vowed to restructure the country if elected by ceding more power to states and local governments, saying it would now be up to the people to hold the authorities in the states and LGs responsible.
“Take your destiny in your own hand for your own future and not in the future of one family. It is your duty to take over,” the PDP flag bearer said.
Speaking at the event, the party’s governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, who received the party’s flag from the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu with his running mate, Olufunke Akindele, said Atiku’s victory in 2023 would be the end to the reign of the APC government in the state.
Declaring that enough is enough, Adediran vowed to, if elected, “Put a stop to all forms of harassment in our markets, on our roads”, adding, “I will make sure Lagos works for everybody.
“I have visited 95 wards since we started our campaign and we are still moving. The moment Atiku wins, they would leave Lagos and run away. Funke and I have been ordained by God to put an end to this dynasty that has held us by the jugular in the last 23 years.”
Only PDP can restore Nigeria’s glory – Okowa
Atiku’s running mate, Okowa stated that only Atiku and himself can restore the glory of Nigeria and the glory of Lagos State where the rich would not be getting richer and the poor becoming poorer.
He said, “In the South-South, we are prepared to deliver heavy votes for our presidential candidate. He’s the only candidate accepted in all the geopolitical zones, the only candidate with the experience to take Nigeria out of the woods and restore a Nigeria that works for all and a Lagos that works for all.”
He charged the people of Lagos State to go from door to door, market to market, garage to garage, to campaign for PDP.
Chairman of the party’s Campaign Council and Governor of Akwa Ibom, Mr. Udom Emmanuel said under the PDP government, the economy of Lagos State was more buoyant but lamented that most companies that hitherto employed thousands and hundreds of people have shut down. “We will bring back the companies. Under Atiku, the economy of Lagos will bounce back. Once we settle the economy of Lagos, you have settled two third of the Nigerian economy,” he said.
The PDP national chairman on his part said the party is on a journey to liberate Lagos State, saying, “Liberating Lagos is like liberating Nigeria”.
He assured that the PDP government if given a chance would abolish multiple taxes imposed on the people and tackle widespread poverty in the state.