The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the February 16 election, Atiku Abubakar, has said he would ensure that Nigeria regained its status as West Africa’s largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) if elected president.
Atiku, in a statement on Wednesday by his media office, said it was sad that Ghana had taken over Nigeria’s position.
“For all the years that the PDP governed Nigeria, including the eight years of which I was the Vice President, Nigeria always set the pace for Africa in terms of foreign direct investment and became the number one recipient of FDI in Africa in 2013 under a PDP administration.
“In that year, we also became Africa’s largest economy, thanks to the PDP’s leadership. As a businessman and employer of labour, I am disappointed that a nation with 15% of our population has outperformed us in this area. This is an economic emergency that must be addressed.
“Sadly, this unfortunate economic indicator has escaped the attention of the current administration, who are more interested in hounding real and imagined opponents, like the Chief Justice of Nigeria and many legislators, than in addressing the rapid economic decline Nigeria is witnessing under their watch.
“I foresaw this happening, which is why I was in the United States last week to get foreign investors who have been divesting from Nigeria, to return their investments. Prior to my US trip, I had undertaken similar missions in Europe and the Orient.
“It is of particular importance to understand why Nigeria has become an economic pariah under the present administration leading to us becoming the world headquarters for extreme poverty. When you have a leader who habitually travels abroad to de-market his own nation and its economy, things like this are bound to happen.
“It is further exacerbated when that same leader stubbornly blames his predecessors for problems he caused, while at the same time taking credit for achievements and progress initiated and delivered by those same leaders he makes a habit of denigrating.
“Therefore, I solemnly declare to Nigerians, that if I am elected President on February 16, 2019, I will be Nigeria’s Chief Marketing Officer, and will never speak ill of our economy, our polity and our youths. My utterances, both at home and abroad, will be used to lift Nigeria’s economy because Atiku means JOBS,” Atiku said.
