Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has promised to run a youth-driven administration if given the mandate in the February 16 general election, as Nasarawa State virtually stood still the party’s presidential campaign yesterday.
Atiku gave the commitment yesterday at the PDP presidential campaign in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
According to the presidential hopeful, the essence of running the youth driven administration was to prepare them to garner experience for effective governance.
“Let me make this commitment that 40 per cent of my government will be dedicated to the youth and 30 per cent to the women.
“This is because I want the youth to garner enough experience to be able to take over from us,” Atiku said.
He urged the people to vote for the PDP in the forthcoming general election in order to end hunger, poverty and insecurity in the country.
The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki called on the people of the state, especially the youth to vote for the PDP and Atiku as president so he would create massive jobs and reduce restiveness in the country.
He noted that the standard of living of Nigerians had not improved within the last three years, hence the need for them to vote for Atiku to get the country working again.
Similarly, Mr Uche Secondus, PDP National Chairman and Mr Peter Obi, Vice Presidential candidate of the party urged the people to turnout massively to vote for Atiku and all PDP candidates during the election.
Secondus, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to exhibit high sense of neutrality and avoid compromising the electoral process in the interest of democracy in the country.
“If INEC and the security agencies love this country, they should allow free, fair and credible election,” Secondus said.
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus and the party’s presidential candidate for the February 16 election, Atiku Abubakar, has vowed that the party would crush Boko Haram insurgency in the North East and guarantee employment opportunities for Nigerians if voted into power.
Speaking yesterday at a campaign ground in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Secondus said Atiku would end the Boko Haram attacks, improve on the current state of the nation’s economy by providing jobs to the unemployed Nigerians and make life better for Nigerians.
Secondus also warned security agencies against rigging the elections, saying there would be consequences if they do so.
“We warn the INEC and the security agencies not to rig this election. If they want to rig this election, they are planning for crisis in Nigeria. Will you accept any rigged election?
“Let them be warned that if they love this country, they should not attempt to rig this election; if they love this country, they should allow free, fair and credible election.
“We have come with the candidate who will provide employment for all of you, we have come with the candidate who will wipe away poverty; he has done it before, he will do it again. We have come with a candidate who is coming with digital architecture for Nigeria,” he said.
Also speaking, Atiku said, “Now, I want to ask you, do you want to continue with the poverty rate we have in this country? So, will you vote for APC? No way! Do you want to continue with the unemployment rate we have in this country? Are you going to vote for APC? Never; do you want to continue with the insecurity in this country?
“Before, they said it was only North-East, today, the insecurity has gone to North-West, it has gone to North-Central, do you what to continue like this?
“Because, they don’t know how to govern, and if you don’t want to continue with all these vices, I appeal to you to vote for PDP and defend your votes.”
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, yesterday, congratulated the winner of the presidential election in Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshiekedi, while pointing out that his victory was a sign of things to come in Nigeria’s general election.
Tshiekedi was announced the winner of the election by the country’s electoral body yesterday, beating the preferred candidate of the ruling party to third place.
In a statement issued by the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, signed by the Director, Media & Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the “PPCO said the defeat of ruling party’s candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, is another pointer to the impending defeat of President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 16 presidential election, as African nations consolidate on entrenching purposeful leadership in the continent.”
The statement added, that the victory of the opposition party in DR Congo, would serve as a morale booster for Nigeria’s voting population.
“The victory of opposition candidate and particularly the relegation of the ruling party to third position in the election despite the daunting challenges is a confidence booster for Nigerians on Atiku Abubakar’s victory despite the shenanigans and rigging schemes of the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress.
“Nigerians should not also forget that in March 2018, the opposition candidate in Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio defeated the ruling party’s candidate. In December 2017, opposition George Weah defeated the sitting Vice President Joseph Boakai of Liberia while in December 2016, opposition party candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo defeated the incumbent President of Ghana, John Mahama.
“Those relying on rigging to shortchange Nigerians on February 16 should, therefore, be reminded, that as demonstrated in the DRC, the power of the people remains greater than the power of this nepotistic few,” the statement concluded.