Lokoja – The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on Saturday promised to restore peace and security to all parts of Nigeria if elected the President in the February 25 general elections.
Atiku , who made the promise while addressing a rally in Lokoja , Kogi State on Saturday also promised to tackle poverty and unemployment among Nigerians and resuscitate the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Complex in the state.
Atiku accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of gross incompetence and misrule, urging Nigerians to reject the party in the coming elections.
The former Vice President said the siege of misrule foisted on the country should not be allowed to continue , saying that the APC has failed woefully since coming to power in 2015.
Using Kogi State as a point of reference, Atiku said: “What I want to confirm to you is that all the progress made in Kogi State was under the PDP administration.
“Even , this stadium (Confluence Stadium) and all the roads in the state were built by past PDP administration.
“The State Secretariat, Intergrated water supply and every other structures that you can think of were built by the PDP government.
” We will ensure workers salaries and pensioners are paid regularly, jobs will be given to our youths and also ensure that universities are always open to students.
“In that regards, I want to assure you that it’s high time aggrieved APC leaders leave this failed party and retrace their steps to the path of progress.
“Come to PDP so that Nigeria can toe the path of progress again, ” the presidential candidate said.
Also speaking at the rally, Atiku’s running mate, who is also the Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa said ” Nigeria currently is in a challenging situation and needs a man that can be trusted to bring it out of its present predicament.
“In Atiku Abubakar, we have someone we can trust. We need someone like him that has enough experience to take us out of the challenges, out of the hunger and poverty out of the insecurity we have found ourselves in and I know quite well that as a businessman, he will complete the abandoned Ajaokuta Steel company.
“There’s no one better than Atiku among all presidential candidates in Nigeria today who will take us out of the problems that we are facing today,” Okowa said.
He also appreciated the youth and women in Kogi State for turning out en masse at the rally, urging them and other voters to stand firm to defend their votes, and be ready to effect change.
The National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iorchia Ayu lamented that a lot of people are currently suffering and passing through untold hardship under the present APC administration in the state.
Ayu urged them to change the narrative by voting wisely Atiku and other candidates of the PDP in the coming elections.
Highlights of the rally was formal decamping of the state Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba, former Speaker of the state assembly, Alfa Imam Ahmed and former Okene Local Government Chairman, Yahaya Karaku and thousands of their supporters to the PDP
While receiving the decampees, Ayu welcomed them into PDP , assuring them of a level playing field within the party at all levels.
On his part, the Leader of the party and a two term Governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris thanked the people for turning out en masse to receive PDP’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
He urged them to vote for PDP from top to bottom in in the coming elections so as to put an end to the sufferings and hunger currently pervading the state and the country as a whole under the APC-led administration.
The Kogi Central Senatorial candidate of the party, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan who spoke on behalf of other candidates urged voters to come out to exercise their civic responsibility without fear.
She said that the PDP was well determined to take over from the ruling party, APC come February 25th.
She assured the presidential candidate of their total support and adequate mobilisation toward achieving victory in all the coming elections.
