The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, yesterday, joined the presidential race, as he declared his intention to run for the nation’s number one political office in 2019. He made the declaration at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja while meeting with youths and youth aspirants in Nigeria, seeking to be actively involved in the politics and governance of the country. While making his intention public, Saraki recounted the current woes bedevilling the country as a result of the maladministration of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
He assured that he would apply his wealth of political experience to rebuild the country if elected, and enjoined all Nigerians to jettison all divisive tendencies and join hands with him in his plan to restore Nigeria back to glory. According to him, it is the social inequality and extreme poverty confronting Nigerians that fuel the state of insecurity in the country, saying that hunger, lack of education and lack of opportunities push Nigerians into criminal activities as well as terrorism.
Saraki further posited that the nation’s economy had broken and in need of urgent revival in order for Nigeria to grow, lamenting that diversification had remained an illusion while unemployment was at an all-time high, as businesses were shutting down. Saraki promised that he would not indulge in a selective fight against corruption, saying that the emphasis of his administration would be on strengthening institutions, with a particular focus on deterrence and would not engage in proxy wars against perceived political opponents. His words: “I offer leadership driven by empathy. Where leaders are responsive to the citizens. Where they know that government cares.
We will not be indifferent or turn a blind eye to the real concerns of our people. Every single Nigerian life matters. “The harsh conditions of extreme poverty faced by the people, fuels the state of insecurity all over the country. Hunger, lack of education and lack of opportunities push many Nigerians into criminal activities including terrorism. Many of our communities are paralysed with fear – due to incessant communal crises, kidnappings and other social ills, as well as the threat of terrorism. We are failing abysmally to tackle the problems of today and to prepare for the future. ”
Our economy is broken and is in need of urgent revival in order for Nigeria to grow. GDP growth rate has declined. Diversification remains an illusion. Unemployment is at an alltime high. Businesses are shutting down. Jobs are being lost in record numbers, and the capital needed to jumpstart our economy is going elsewhere.”
Saraki said the choice before Nigerians in the forthcoming election is either to keep things as they are,or make a radical departure from the old ways.
On his plan, the Senate President said: “My plan is to secure Nigeria by redesigning our national security architecture, while adequately equipping our security agencies to fulfil their primary role of protecting lives and property. “I will address our infrastructural deficit through aggressive financing initiatives, including mutually beneficial PPP arrangements, regular floating of bonds and other financial instruments, which will ensure stable, adequate and reliable funding to see to the completion of core projects especially road, rail and power. “My plan is to protect all Nigerians and defend their constitutional rights and freedoms.
I will stand for and uphold at all times the principle of the rule of law, which is the bedrock of democratic governance. “Ours will not be a selective fight against corruption. The emphasis will be on strengthening institutions, with a particular focus on deterrence.”
