From Oluseye Ojo and Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
Pesidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has promised that if elected on February 25 his administration would ensure devolution of more powers and resources to the 36 states of the federation under his restructuring programme.
The former vice president made the promise, yesterday, at the Oyo State Presidential Campaign Rally at the Mapo Hall Arcade, Ibadan.
Atiku, while reiterating his commitment to restructuring of Nigeria, thanked Makinde and the PDP for ensuring that the rally was well organised.
“We will restructure Nigeria, which means we will give more powers to states and more resources as well.”
He also promised that his administration would ensure “there is no more strike in our schools so that there won’t be disruption of academic activities.”
He also said he would unify the country, tackle insecurity, and ensure economic prosperity for the nation.
He said his government would make the South-West region industrial hub of the country.
“I am committed to making sure that industrialisation of the South-West is achieved and has the support of the Federal Government. There are five major commitments to the people of this country.
“We must make sure there is unity; we must make sure there is inclusion of every part of this country in our government.”
Atiku said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed Nigerians saying the party did not implement everything it promised during electioneering prior to 2015 and 2019 elections. He enjoined Nigerians to replace APC with PDP from top to bottom for the progress of the country.
Governor Seyi Makinde was, however, absent at the event alongside Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) who all belong to the G-5 governors and calling for sack of Iyorchia Ayu as national chairman of the party and his replacement with a southern candidate. Also absent at the rally was the deputy national chairman of PDP (South), Taofeek Arapaja, who is former deputy governor of Oyo State.
At the Ibadan rally yesterday, it was repeatedly aired that Governor Makinde was behind the success of the programme and this was acknowledged by supporters at the event. Daily Sun learnt that some elder statesmen within and outside the state had brokered peace between Atiku and Makinde, prior to the rally.
Wife of the PDP presidential candidate, Titilayo Atiku-Abubakar, who hails from Osun State, said she got married to Atiku 50 years ago. She urged the Yoruba in the South West to vote for her husband because among all the presidential candidates, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is the only one that knows the road. Vice Presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, said Nigerians have suffered too much within the past eight years with insecurity in the land and people getting poorer. He called on Nigerians to replace the APC with PDP in next month’s polls.
Meanwhile, Atiku has said he will not descend to the level of the APC candidate, Bola Tinubu.
He said he would remain a statement in his campaigns, even as he claimed that recent attacks on his person by the APC candidate were attempts to cover his character deficiencies.
Tinubu through Festus Keyamo, spokesperson of his campaign council, had accused Atiku of fraudulently enriching himself and his cronies while serving as vice president between 1999 and 2007 using Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) even as he demanded his discontinuation from the presidential race. He cited a video clip made by one Michael Achimugu, said to be a former aide of the PDP standard bearer in his submission.
However, Atiku, in a statement, yesterday, said: “I have since resolved not to descend to the level of personal attacks and lies being peddled by my opponents. Nor will I join issues with those who, in an attempt to cover their character deficiencies, resort to mudslinging and gutter language, in a desperate attempt to disparage their fellow contestants. I’d rather take the high road of dignity and statesmanship to continue to advance our manifesto, as we continue to inform the Nigerian people of how the Atiku-Okowa government intends to stop the slip into the abyss by a country that is so blessed with human and natural resources. I will remind them about our past success when I served Nigeria meritoriously as the Vice President in the government that has been adjudged as the best so far since our return to democracy in 1999. I want to share our dreams and achievable development plans for our today and our future. We shall assemble a team of some of the brightest and best Nigerians that abound within the country and in the Diaspora to assist in rebuilding our country.”
Atiku also pledged to introduce reforms to enhance the status of traditional institutions in the country.
He made the pledge at the palace of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, where he told the monarch that his government would introduce reforms that would allow the traditional rulers perform their roles as expected.
Atiku admitted that Nigeria was facing issues like insecurity but noted that traditional rulers have roles to play in maintaining peace and security in their domains.
He added that such reforms when introduced would place traditional rulers in a position to ensure peace and security in their areas.