By Umaru Shehu,
Minna
Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubarkar, on Thursday said that he joined the Presidential race to end the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) misrule which has impoverished not only Nigerians but brought the nation’s economy to its worst state ever in history.
He also said that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has caused more division than uniting Nigerians due to its highly insensitivity to the heterogeneity and secular nature of the country, which any leader shouldn’t ignore.
Atiku spoke before meeting the Niger State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) delegates to the next month’s Presidential primaries.
He lamented the killing of Nigerians, which the present administration despite promises, could not end.
“Many Nigerians,” he said, “have lost their jobs and other sources of livelihood in the past three years due to poor management of economy and maladministration of the APC administration hence the need not to allow them continue beyond next year.”
On the bond signed by all Presidential aspirants to remain in PDP and his resolve not to defect even if he fails to clinch the party’s ticket, Atiku said that he remained part of the erstwhile ruling party even if he loses out in the race.
“This issue came up last night when we had our first meeting with members of the National Working Committee of the party it was agreed that before the conduct of the primaries, there will be more meetings and in one of the meetings we will be required to sign an undertaking to support whoever may emerge as the candidate.
“We were assured of credible primaries when such issues came up during our discussions last night. I have participated in a number of primaries and I have committed myself to support whoever emerges and I don’t think it will be different this time around.
“First, let us look at our economy, If you look at our economic growth from 1999 up to 2015 when the PDP left power, the GDP has always consistently been on the rise, but the moment the APC government took over, we went into recession and since then we have not fully recovered”.
He further said that there was the urgent need to retrieve power from the Buhari-led administration before it was too late, insisting, “In the three years of the APC we have recorded the lowest economic growth in the history of Nigeria since we returned to democracy.
“So, clearly the APC government has failed as far as economic growth is concerned and that is why we have the highest number of joblessness, highest poverty rate, as you all know we have been described as the capital of poverty in the whole world”.
Atiku said that the multidimensional challenges Nigeria is grappling with under the Buhari administration has led the country into the high level insecurity it is facing today, adding, “Even during the Civil war, we did not experience this type.
“The problem is further compounded by the federal government’s consistently insensitivity to our diversity and therefore, the patronage in the government is given to only one part of the country. As far as I am concerned the APC has failed and I does not think there is need to give them a second chance”.
Atiku said that he was always motivated by his service to Nigeria not by selfish interests.
“This country has been very good to me and I will continue to offer myself to the service of the country,” he said.