The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, yesterday blamed Nigeria’s current woes on the wrong choices made by those ruling the country from 1999 to date.
Speaking at the Chatham House in London, Kwankwaso lamented that Nigeria was beset by numerous challenges, including high rate of unemployment, insecurity and growing poverty.
The former governor of Kano State said while many would blame the economic hardships facing the country on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic recession, he would hold the past and present leaders responsible.
He said, “Our country today is facing numerous challenges – insecurity, growing poverty, growing and uncontrolled inflation, growing unemployment and despondency, decaying infrastructure, high rate of maternal and neonatal deaths, collapsing education system, crises in the health care services, weak institutions, growing corruption and graft, unbelievable theft of crude oil and other mineral resources and growing mistrust among the constituents, communities of our country and so on.
“We can point fingers at all sorts of factors allegedly responsible for our situation – from coronavirus to global economic recession; from western powers to international capital etc. But for me, we are where we are because of the mistakes in wrong choices made by the very people entrusted with the business of governing Nigeria in the last 24 years.”
According to Kwankwaso, he is aspiring to become the next president of Nigeria because he understands the issues involved, the mistakes made and the wrong priorities set.
“Together with our team, we are better connected with the hopes and aspirations of Nigeria citizens. We understand, agree with and share grievances and we have a practical plan for addressing every challenge bedeviling our country,” he stated.
Kwankwaso said his proposed alliance with the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, collapsed owing to the media hype enjoyed by the latter.
He explained, “On Labour Party, I was initially interested in working with them. But at that time, they were at the peak of the media hype and we couldn’t reach a compromise. Our party (NNPP) is a national party and we’re commanding the support of the masses.
“If you have a party, which is based on ethnicity and religion, that is the difference between the Labour party and our party, which is a national party, New Nigeria Peoples Party”.
Atiku to PDP members: You’ll show election results to get appointments, contracts
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday gave party members conditions for appointments and contracts if elected as the next president. He said all party members must show results of their polling units to benefit from the government.
Atiku insisted that if party members and leaders deliver at their polling units, it would be easy for the PDP to win the elections.
He said this in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during a town hall meeting with the stakeholders, attended by PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu; former Vice President, Namadi Sambo; Governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa-Ibom), Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and Senate Minority Leader, Phillip Aduda.
Also in attendance were a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; former Governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), the governorship candidate of the party in the state, Ladi Adebutu and his deputy, Adekunle Akinlade and the Lagos State governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, were also in attendance.
Responding to questions from the audience, Atiku said “You are all members of the PDP and supporters of the PDP, you want PDP to return to power, please I beg of you, make sure you win your polling booths.
“The fact that you are following the gubernatorial candidate or the senatorial candidate or the House of Reps candidate or the presidential candidate to campaigns is no qualification that you will get an appointment. It is not a qualification that you will get a contract whether at the local government level, state or the federal level.
“The only way as far as I’m concerned, if I’m president, if you come and say you want a job or you want a contract, I will ask you: let me have the result of your polling booth and that is what I’m going to direct to everybody because unless we do that, we’ll not win the elections.
“You cannot be following the governor all the place or the senator all the place and then you don’t win your polling booth and you come and say you want to be a minister or you want to get this contract. So, please as members of our party, let us make sure that we go back to our constituencies and make sure that we deliver our polling units.”
Atiku promised to revamp the education sector in such a way that the incessant strike by the academic union in the universities will end.
He also promised to expand the nation’s economy to improve on the living standards of Nigerians and the workers.
Reject my husband after 4yrs if he underperforms-Tinubu’s wife
Wife of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has asked Nigerians to “drive out” her husband after four years if he is elected and fails to perform.
She spoke at the South-East women rally for Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign in Owerri, Imo State capital.
She said, “Let’s leave religion aside; I am a Christian. Have you ever thought that one day a Christian-Christian candidate would emerge? What would be the reference point? We have tried the Muslim-Christian ticket, let us try this one too and after four years if they don’t do well, you can drive them out,” she said.
She said Nigeria’s election should not be about faith but about voting for a candidate who has the fear of God.
“When you have a person who fears God, not a person who is a Christian or Catholic or Muslim, but a God fearing person. When a man who fears God is in power, he will treat you right,” she said.
Noting that she had served Nigeria as a governor’s wife and senator, she said: “This is work time for Nigeria. We are not playing games. Women, we’ll remember you and I can assure that Asiwaju for sure will remember you.
“The Tinubu/Shettima have a big package for our youth. We will sit down and work with every region on their needs,” she further assured the women.
She stressed that the election was about a renewed hope of a country that is safe, progressive and possible, with investment in entrepreneurship and human capital.
Tinubu, who noted that she had served Nigeria as a governor’s wife and senator, assured the women that they would form a major percentage of the Tinubu/Shettima administration.
In his remarks, Governor Hope Uzodinma urged the South-East women to make a wise decision by voting for the APC presidential candidate.
Uzodimma said: “I have decided to embark on political evangelism. I will continue to preach. I will continue to speak to my people to shine your eyes because this is the time for us to take the vital decision.
“We have decided that you are better off being in a united Nigeria. A united Nigeria will best accommodate the population of Ndigbo.
“The geographical strength in the South East is not enough to accommodate us,” the governor said.
Don’t vote along ethno-religious lines, Obi tells Kaduna electorate
The Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, yesterday cautioned the electorate against voting on the basis of religious and tribal affiliations.
He said competent people should be allowed to lead the country not people whom educational background was not known.
Addressing his party’s supporters at a campaign rally in Kaduna, Obi said he would strengthen the security architecture as well as secure and unite Nigeria.
The former governor of Anambra State blamed the insecurity on lack of good leadership.
The party’s vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba Ahmed, described Obi as a patriotic Nigerian contesting to provide good leadership in the country.
From Afeez Hanafi (Lagos) & Peter Moses (Abeokuta)
