Former Vice President and presidential aspirant of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar says Nigeria has never been
more divided than it currently is under President Muhammadu Buhari.
Atiku, who was in Anambra to seek the support of delegates of the
party, said the country was divided because it made the mistake of
electing the wrong president.
The former Vice President, who was given a rousing welcome in Awka by
members of PDP and his supporters, said, “Our country is at a cross
road today. I have never seen this country so divided than it is today.
“We are more divided as a country today simply because we mistakenly
elected a president who has succeeded in dividing us the more. I have
seen the pre-civil war days, the civil war days and the post civil war
days, but I have never seen Nigeria as divided as we are today.”
He further stated that, “This is because we elected a government that
is completely insensitive to our diversity, and completely insensitive
to our welfare. We elected a government that crashed Nigeria into a
recession from an economy that was growing at a 6 per cent GDP and up
till now we are trying to recover from the recession.
“Today we have the highest unemployment rate in our history. Over
12million young men and women. Today our health sector is performing
very very minimal. Nigeria is at the bottom as far as health care is
concerned. Almost every African country is ahead of Nigeria.
“In almost every socio-economic indicator, we are doing worse today.
This is a government we must vote out next year. For the welfare of our
children and grand children, this is a government we must not allow to
return to power next year. I beg of you all, it is not about me, but
about the future of our children, we must unite to make sure we don’t
vote for APC any more,” Atiku said.
Speaking on restructuring, Atiku said he has been championing
restructuring for years, stressing that one thing the country must do
was to give every part the opportunity to govern itself and also develop
at its pace.
“We must not continue to have a country where every state rushes to
Abuja to pick up money to develop their states. We will begin by
restructuring and that will help states to achieve whatever they want to
achieve without hindrance,” he said.
The presidential aspirant said he was pained that people in the south
eastern part of Nigeria have to fly to Abuja or Lagos before travelling
outside the country, whereas an international airport was supposed to
be sited in the zone.
“I promise you that as your president we will build an international
airport in the east, not the type they(APC) are talking about, but one
that is truly international, that would have flights to parts of the
world, so that you don’t have to travel to Abuja or Lagos before
traveling out of this country.
“I want to beg you to give me that opportunity. To give me the
opportunity is to let me have the ticket. I urge you to join hands with
me so we can develop our regions again and reclaim our country again.”
Speaking earlier, the state chairman of the party, Chief Ndubuisi
Nwobu promised the aspirant support from the state, while urging him not
to forget promises made by him when he becomes president.