By Henry Uche
The Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), have come up with their security plans to Nigerians ahead of the Feb. 25 presidential elections.
The parties disclosed their plans at the “Youth Presidential Debate” put together by Atiku Youth World Outreach, held in Abuja, with the theme, “Beyond Politics: For Love of Country”.
LP representative, Mr Ogbeide Ifaluyi-Isibor, said the cause of insecurity in the country was due to failure of leadership. To that end, he asserted that a sustainable way of fighting insecurity was ending poverty.
“Peter Obi will bring fair leadership where everybody will feel loved by another. This is what is needed to solve insecurity and other challenges. Obi, will ensure that the youths are employed which will reduce the high rate of poverty”, he said.
He decried that the Nigerian Police was the most underpaid security agency in the country, noting that the LP would work towards better remuneration for the police.
Ifaluyi-Isibor said that Nigeria’s inability, as a nation, to elect and select good leaders that understand the problems and had solutions, had been Nigeria’s greatest challenge.
“Our inability to elect good leaders has been our challenge. This is why we have been below down economically and otherwise. We have people in authority that have no idea how to govern.
“However, there is hope for Nigerians, there is one man (Peter Obi), who has conscientiously engineered a regeneration of consciousness in the mind of the people.
“He has assured beyond doubt that tomorrow will be far better than today. There is currently a redemption song in the mouths of Nigerians echoed around Obi. He has demonstrated unbeatable competence,” Ifaluyi-Isibor added
Speaking on behalf of the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Onoja Ilemona, said if the former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar is elected, the party would tackle the insecurity that had continued to bedevil the country.
According to him, Atiku has a five-step plan to improve the security of Nigeria, which include increasing the number of security personnel across the country since they are currently not enough.
“We shall improve inter-agency cohesion, combat the free flow of light weapons and ammunition, and ensure better funding for every security agency.”
Ilemona called on the electorate to vote for Atiku whom he described as a man capable of delivering Nigeria from the shackles of poverty.
“Atiku is the only candidate among others who is involved in wealth creation, generation and job creation at the national level. His administration would grow the economy by improving private sector participation in business.
“The Nigerian economy has been stagnant all these years because there is no enough private sector participation. Government has no business in business. Leave the business to private sector participants. This will curb government wastage and create private sector creativity and ingenuity in business,” he maintained.
On his part, Mr Olufemi Ibitoye, who spoke for the Presidential Candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, the administration would deploy the use of effective technology in securing the country and sound information and intelligence gathering as a key in fighting insecurity
Ibitoye affirmed that the party would ensure that the National Assembly amended the Criminal Justice System Act, to tackle cases of injustice.
According to Ibitoye, Tinubu is the best candidate for the country, adding that; “we should not leave Nigeria to someone who has got no experience at the highest level.
“Tinubu is one who can do the job. He has done it before, and will do it again. He is the architect of modern day Lagos. He will build the economic bridges for Nigeria,”