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By Steve Agbota
The Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, have said that both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) have failed woefully for bringing economic untold hardship to Nigerians.
Kwankwaso who stated this yesterday in Lagos during a townhall meeting with stakeholders organised by Prime Maritime Project, said the two parties equally failed Woefully in putting Nigeria and Nigerians first.
“Suffice it to say that NNPP, as a party, has its blueprint for the economy for which maritime and transport logistics are incorporated. You are all aware that I was a founding member of both the PDP) and APC, the two parties that governed the country in the last 23 years. I decided to make the sacrifice of doing away with both parties because both of them have derailed from the original vision set forth for them.
“Both of them have brought untold economic hardship to Nigerians. Both of them have visited Nigerians with unacceptable level of insecurity ever imagined. And both of them have failed to provide qualitative and competent leadership that is direly needed to steer the ship of the Nigerian nation to unity and prosperity,” he said.
According to him, If these failures are not there, if the expectations of Nigerians had been met, if the leaders are competent, patriotic and sincere, Nigeria would not have been here today.
“This is why I have decided to seek to be at the driving seat of this nation through the NNPP so that those expectations-a new Nigeria of our dream-can be realised.
“So really, for us, the choice in the 2023 general election is clear: A New and Better Nigeria that the NNPP is foist to put in place or the continuation of
the status quo. We believe that Nigerians are tired of the status quo and are very eager to do away with both the APC and the PDP,” he said.
Earlier, chairman of the occasion, Mr Kunle Folarin, had enumerated the rot in the sector, regretting the incessant changes in the leadership of maritime regulatory agencies and the supervising ministry, which are often headed by appointees that have no knowledge of the industry, which adversely affects its growth.
This was also listed by the Prime Maritime Project, which said the series, which will be availed all presidential candidates, was meant to extract a social contract from them on their plans and commitment to placing the maritime sector in the front burner as a major economy driver.
Also speaking at the event, Chief Operating Officer, Prime Maritime Project, Elder Asu Beks, said the team will invite all the Presidential candidates of the 18 political parties to enter into a social contract with critical maritime stakeholders, saying that maritime sector can boast of no fewer than 15 million eligible voters on election day.
“That makes us one of the most critical sectors both in terms of contribution to the gross domestic product and a sea of prospective voters. I dare say that no Presidential candidate can win the 2023 elections without our votes.
“Any Presidential candidate who ignores this sector can as well say goodbye to ASO VILLA in 2023. Why a town hall meeting? While it is a truism that this sector is the most resourceful after oil and gas ,and given its immense contribution to our national economy,regrettably,successive administrations have continued to undermine the vast potentials of the maritime industry and have failed to articulate an enduring maritime strategy that will enable us harness its vast potentials,” he said.
