- …launches campaign document for 2019 polls
Nigeria needs a leader that is resilient, disciplined and passionate to fight for it, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has said.
He also noted that there is going to be a lot of hard work, with no quick fixes, adding that the country needs a leader consistent enough to guide her through the rough times ahead.
The former vice president said this yesterday while unveiling his campaign plan to ‘Get Nigeria Working Again.’ The policy statement was delivered live on Facebook yesterday.
He said his plan to restructure Nigeria would lead to a vast increase in the internally generated revenue, both for the federal and the states government.
Atiku is President Muhammadu Buhari’s main challenger in the 2019 presidential election. His campaign launch is also coming 24 hours after President Buhari launched his own campaign manual titled ‘Next Level.’
“If elected president, I will be pro-active in attracting investments and supporting the 50 million small and medium-scale enterprises across Nigeria for the purpose of doubling the size of our GDP to 900 billion dollars by 2025.
“These investments will create a minimum of 2. 5 million jobs annually and lift at least 50 million people from poverty in the first 2 years.
“My team and I will also help create jobs by innovating flagship programmes such as the national open apprenticeship programme through which we shall enhance the capacity of master-craftsmen and women to train one-million new apprentices every year.
“Our national innovation fund and SME venture capital fund initiatives will provide stable and sustainable long-term support to aspiring entrepreneurs.
“Let me be clear, no state will receive less funding than they get today – in fact all will receive more and the harder a state works the more they will get.
“And I am not just presenting these policies to you, I want you to own them. Take a look at them. You can view them at atiku.org, and you will have an opportunity to provide your feedback,” Atiku said.
Daily Trust reports that in the 186-page document, Atiku said: “It is my pledge, driven by unstoppable dedication, to hit the ground running with these big tasks and to take bold steps towards making difficult decisions that will be good for Nigeria in future years.
“I know it is going to be a lot of hard work, with no quick fixes. It needs a leader that is resilient, disciplined and dedicated, and passionate about Nigeria to fight for it, and consistent enough to guide the country the rough times ahead.
“I pledge to remain focused and make the tough decisions needed to move the country forward.
“We can always fold our arms and say Nigeria is beyond saving, or we can take the bull by the horns with an optimism that Nigeria is worth saving and trusting that certainly glorious days lay ahead after the stormy years.
“I choose positivism, faith and confidence in our vision, the policy, and the political will to use this opportunity to get Nigeria working again,” Atiku said.
