2023 PRIMARIES: Atiku pledges to restructure Nigeria if allowed to emerge as president

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former vice-president of Nigeria and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, has promised to restructure the country if he is allowed to emerge as the country's president.

Alhaji Atiku pledged while addressing PDP delegates, including Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, at the Unity Hall of Government House in Asaba.

The former vice president outlined other areas he would turn his attention to if allowed to lead the nation's affairs, including country unity, insecurity, the economy and education, stressing that the country is at a crossroads and needed an experienced hand to navigate.

He thanked Delta delegates for the support given to him at the Port Harcourt convention in 2019 and appealed to them, at the PDP Presidential Assembly, billed for 28 and 29 this month in Abuja, to vote him.

Alhaji Abubakar said the issue of power rotation is enshrined in the party's constitution, noting that the PDP must seize power at this point before enshrining the rotation.

“Nevertheless, we have another season of elections in the country, but this season is unique because Nigeria has never been in such a situation with numerous challenges.

"That's why, when I declared my intention to run for president this time, I identified five key areas that this country needs to address immediately.

“First of all, I noticed the lack of unity in our country today. Why lack of unity because we have an APC government that doesn't identify with our diversity, that doesn't respect our diversity and governs as if we all don't matter.

"And as a result, we have a very divided country and I said I will address this disagreement on the first day of my presidency if I am elected," Abubakar said.

For his part, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa said Alhaji Abubakar has the experience of leading the country out of the challenges plaguing the nation and reiterated that the issue of restructuring is important to the people of the Niger Delta region when it comes to who will rule the country in 2023.

Gov. Okowa said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is one way to improve a credible election and tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with ensuring transparency is not compromised.

He said state delegates would scrutinize the presidential hopefuls and throw their weight behind the most credible in the forthcoming party's primaries.

“We have a lot of uncertainty at the moment. Problems related to education were identified, but for us in the South-South geopolitical zone, the question of restructuring is very important.

"Having discussed these key issues, we took note of your speech and believe you are a man we can trust because the issues you raised are issues that concern us and this nation.

“And we believe that we need a lot of experience to be able to deal with these problems without learning off the leash.

“By the time decisions were made by Deltans, many of these issues would be explored. We would screen all candidates who will be presenting at the convention on the 28th of this month and Deltans will always vote for the person who has a great capacity

"But we believe that at the time when things like this have happened in the past you were and have been on a team that was capable of finding solutions. I believe that will hold you in high esteem in our minds as we make decisions," the governor added.

Source