Singapore News Channel, Singapore News Network

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party , will carry out any responsibility he is given with dignity.

Obasanjo stated this at the turbaning of Atiku as the seventh Wazirin Adamawa by the Lamido of Adamawa , Dr. Mustapha Barkindo .

Obasanjo who also applauded his former deputy , said by every standard , Atiku had always been a “cultured and a cultural person. ”

He said, “When we were in Abuja and dealing with the affairs of governance, you did not take lightly cultural affairs back home. By every standard , you are a cultured and a cultural person. Whatever responsibility you have at the national and international level, I know you will carry this new office with respect and dignity.”

On his part, Atiku said he would ensure the relevance of traditional institutions in the country by promoting their values and principles to the rest of the world .

He said he would not relent in promoting and advancing the cause and principles of Adamawa Emirate and traditional institutions in general in the country .

Atiku , who referred to Obasanjo as his boss , thanked the ex – President for his contributions to his mentoring .

Atiku who appreciated the title of Wazirin, which made him the second in command in the Adamawa emirate, said he received the title with humility.

“Your royal highness has now given me the highest honour available to anyone from a modest background and achievement. The late Lamido HRH Aliyu Mustapha , may his soul rest in peace , appointed me Turakin Adamawa at the age of 35 , making me a confidant and council member of the emirate. As his successor , you have accorded me the second highest position which I am receiving with profound humility with my turbaning as Wazirin , ” he added

The Lamido Adamawa said Atiku was honoured because of his contributions to the development of Nigeria in general and , particularly Adamawa State in particular.

“Atiku has also contributed greatly to unifying the people of Adamawa and providing useful advice to the emirate , ” he said.

“The position of Wazirin, which is the highest in the council puts him in charge of administration of the emirate and is given to people who are educated , honest and God fearing . It’ s not hereditary and can go to anyone who deserves it . ”

Barkindo advised all other traditional title holders to cooperate with the new Wazirin.

Besides Obasanjo , other dignitaries at the event were ex – President Goodluck Jonathan; the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki ; the Speaker of the House of Representatives , Yakubu Dogara and some serving PDP governors including, Ibrahim Dankwambo ( Gombe); Darius Isiaku ( Taraba); Abdufatah Ahmed ( Kwara ); Seriake Dickson ( Bayelsa ); Udom Emmanuel ( Akwa Ibom ) and Aminu Tambuwal ( Sokoto ).

Former governors such as Attahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto ; Rabiu Kwankwanso ( Kano ) , and Boni Haruna, ( Adamawa ) were also at the event, which was also attended by serving and former members of the National Assembly.

Earlier while observing protocol, Obasanjo set the crowd reeling with laughter, after he recognised former President Goodluck Jonathan, as his colleague. He turned to Saraki, saying , “Senate President , you cannot say this one is not my colleague .”

Copyright PUNCH .

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party , Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Monday , regretted that soldiers were killed on the day the nation’ s service chiefs were attending the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari’ s re – election campaign , “Next Level .”

He said it was possible that the killing could have been avoided if the service chiefs had been allowed to concentrate on their jobs.

This was contained in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja by the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation.

The organisation recalled that Atiku had asked his friends and associates to present the gifts they would have given him on his birthday to the families of the slain soldiers .

It said it was therefore wrong for the All Progressives Congress to cast aspersions on the presidential candidate on the day of his birthday and turbaning as Waziri Adamawa .

It said the APC ’ s statement which accused the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of “selfishness and mercantilism” was curious as Atiku dedicated his birthday , not to himself , but to celebrating the 100 or so heroes of the 157 Taskforce Battalion of the Nigerian Army who lost their lives to Boko Haram at Metele in Borno State .

It added that the fact that Atiku asked for anyone who wished to give him birthday gifts to instead endow such on the families of the slain heroes is the opposite of selfishness .

The statement read , “Ironically, the All Progressives Congress that is now accusing Atiku Abubakar, has not deemed it fit to pay tribute to these gallant men who gave their lives in order to secure the lives of others .

“As a party , they have not issued even one statement condoling with the slain or their families , neither have they offered any tangible support to the families of these fallen heroes. Yet, they are accusing the Waziri, who has shown commitment to honouring these heroes, of selfishness .

“As a matter of fact , we now know through Reuters report , that these real Nigerian heroes were killed on November 18, 2018, which was the exact time that the candidate of the APC , Muhammadu Buhari, invited the service chiefs to attend the launch of the plagiarised # NextLevel launch at the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa .

“The nation can only wonder if the Metele massacre could have been avoided if the APC and President Buhari had allowed the service chiefs to focus on their core duties , rather than on his ill – fated re – election campaign .”

The organisation commended the service chiefs “for beating a hasty retreat from the event as soon as they discovered that President Buhari was trying to hoodwink them. ”

It said while it took Atiku only a few hours to respond to the incident and express support , it took Buhari a week to express “shock ” .

It added , “We, therefore, wonder who is truly ‘ selfish ’ .

“It is left to Nigerians to compare and contrast who is a leader and who is a follower based on the conduct of these two parties .

“In any case, we would like to inform the APC of Waziri Atiku Abubakar’ s call for financial support from well- meaning individuals and institutions for the survivors of the Metele massacre , and indeed for all who paid the supreme sacrifice in the frontlines for us to be safe. ”

Punch

The attention of the National executive body of the Buhari Youth Organization BYO have been drawn to arrest a scam and kangaroo NEC Meeting conducted by one Mr. Garba Umar,  where he conducted a kangaroo election which produce Mr Obasanjo son, Olajuwon Obasanjo as the new president of the Buhari Youth Organization also along with other executive members as the new National Executives.

In view of this we will like to call the attention of the general public to take note, that the Buhari Youth Organization BYO have their complete and imperforate  executives officers from the National, State and Local government level since 2013, when the Organization was formed and registered by the grand patron, President Muhammadu Buhari. It also has it Board of Trustees members duly elected which are also recognized by President Muhammadu Buhari who gave them the mandate to register the organisation with his name in (CAC)

It will therefore repel as dalliance or frolic to create a parallel set of another BYO Executives , from the main Excos which is duly recognized by BOTs.

It is on this regard and cognizance that we are notifying the general public to kindly disregard and also distance themselves from these elements and brutes parading them selves as the National Executives of the Buhari Youth Organization.

In this vein we therefore urge and call the attention of Mr Olajuwon Obansanjo to stop parading himself henceforth as the President of Buhari Youth  Organization.

Being the Son of the former President of this country, we urge him to really find out more about those elements  who cajoled and projected him  towards this bastardised act and fraud for the sake of their personal interest and perk.

At this juncture we will like to make it distinct and incontrovertible that Comrades Yusuf Ubale Nalado is the substantive President of the Buhari Youth Organization (BYO) and will so remain thusly. He is also  recognized by Board of Trustees members of this assemblage and the grand patron Muhammadu Buhari,  along with the other existing National Executives and their state Coordinators, who were on ground since 2013.

We will like to state categorically, that the National Executive body of BYO will not accept any attempt or exertion by any body to undermine the effort and achievement so far, even at this material time, and all necessary measures will be impelled to address any issue emanating within in other to enable us concentrate on the task ahead of us.

Sign…
Yusuf Ubale Nalado National President BYO

Sign…
Mr. Arinze Monyelu. for BYO National Secretariat.

Former vice president and Waziri Adamawa Atiku Abubakar turns 72 years old on Sunday November 25, 2018, while his 26 years quest to be the president of Nigeria reaches its climax and a defining  moment. Atiku has never had a political platform as strong as the current People’s Democratic Party(PDP) on which he could actualize his lifelong dream to be the president of Nigeria, so the 2019 elections brings him the best chance, if he is ever going to be the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian armed forces.

At 72 and with another election not coming until he is 76,  if Atiku does not win the 2019 presidential elections, his long stay in the active politics of the presidency would automatically come to an end- he will join the array of some ‘owners’ of Nigeria that will be retired from active politics.

For Atiku, the 2019 presidential election is his last shot at presidency. It is a final show down; he will fight the battle with his body, soul, wealth and everything available at his disposal. He will entice Nigerians with juicy national development plans including infeasible promises.

Atiku is a socio-politico and a super-ambitious man; he pursues his ‘wants’ with his heart. His interest in politics dates back to nearly four decades ago. Over these decades, he has not rested on his oars. His political dynasty has birthed governors, senators and other top political positions, with himself making it to the level of vice president. He is just an Oliver Twist who wants more. Well, no one should blame him! When typical Nigerian elite rises to positions of rare political power and eminence, he or she becomes super-ambitious and starts to seek more and more political relevance. Some even go as far as wanting to build political empires.

Notwithstanding his accumulated years of experience and the prowess of his supposed political dynasty, the journey to the 2019 presidential election will be a very difficult one for Atiku, taking into consideration the present realities in the polity and the uniqueness of his main opponent- the incumbent President Buhari who is armed with his cult-like followers, support from Tinubu’s southwest and 23 state governors including an APC that can matched PDP at its games. Nevertheless, Atiku will fight the 2019 battle like no other times he had contested. Love him or hate him, Waziri has immense war chest that easily sends ripples into the polity, enjoys vast political network and connections and he also has a personal pedigree of winning strong political battles and being able to stay afloat in the midst of wild political storms. However, in the forthcoming elections, he has met more than his match.

Atiku’s opponents are also quick to describe him as being too opportunistic and desperate. They argue that his core reason for venturing into politics is borne out of the quest for power and self enrichment rather than the desire to advance the nation. Atiku has always been accused of being corrupt, but he is lucky, no one has ever took ample time to prove or provided evidence to support the accusation.

Observers of Nigerian politics who follow Atiku’s style of politics view him as a man who loves political adventures, often not well-thought ones, especially when it comes to the politics of the contest for the presidency of Nigeria. In his quest to be president, Atiku has made many errors, which have hitherto cost him the presidency.

Atiku’s 2019 presidential ambition was triggered and founded on the premise that Buhari will not survive his health conditions. Atiku then calculated that with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo being in power going into 2019 elections, he can be able to play the regional card (North’s remaining four years) to battle APC presidential ticket with Osinbajo; as he did but failed against Jonathan in 2011- the ill-thought-out northern consensus candidate by Mallam Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF). Of recent, he read his ‘political map’ up-side-down. He ignored the southwest and picked Peter Obi- a Southeasterner- as his running mate. This is a political blunder. Though, some others of Atiku’s political decisions have been excellent and sound. Most of these decisions have brought him to a level of being a force to reckon with in Nigerian politics today.

As Atiku clocks 72, he would surely put in a strong and unprecedented fight for presidency come 2019. After all, the man enjoys hot politicking.

Happy birthday Waziri Adamawa!

Dear Citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Ours is a land of many hills, networks of crisscrossing rivers, lush green vegetation, and the most spectacular sunset in the world. Yet it is you the Nigerian people who are our great nation’s most beautiful treasure. So great is the value of every Nigerian, that on you alone can the power to determine your leaders, the custodians of the Nigerian will, be fully entrusted.

The opportunity has come once again for you to determine those individuals who best embody that popular will, to manage your affairs for the term period of Four years. Needless to say, you have been inundated with the disruptive media advertisements and dissonant promotions of conversations, around what ought to be the issues in this campaign.

Kindly accept my sincere apologies that your normal lives and the daily activities of our industrious people may have to endure some more barraging of narratives for a while longer; from political parties and candidates, my humble self, and His Excellency; Atiku Abubakar, inclusive. But I want to say to you, that we have no real alternative.

The fathers and the founders of participative democracy took a leap of faith by insisting that those of voting age within any space have a right and a duty to have a say in who governs them, and how their affairs will be managed. That truly is the foundation of a government of the people, for the people, and by the people; which is the hallmark of our democracy and a grave responsibility that I must charge you to take very seriously.

As the campaigns commence today; I, on behalf of Atiku Abubakar; the former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Waziri of Adamawa and the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party of Nigeria, entreat you to come along on a journey wherein I will be speaking about the issues that concern us as a nation.

With automation being predicted to replace an incredible Eight Hundred Million jobs globally by 2030, the issues we need to deliberate upon during these elections should be on how to reinstate for a start, the Eleven million workers who lost their jobs only Four years after we celebrated our emergence as Africa’s largest economy.

While nobody can restore the lives of over Twenty Thousand Nigerian civilians lost to boko-haram alone, or the scores of communities that have been sacked by criminal insurgents in the farmer/herdsmen crises; if we dwell our campaign on issues like reworking the security architectures of the nation, then there is genuine hope for the over Two Million internally displaced citizens of Nigeria, and the Nine Million innocent civilians in urgent need of focused intervention.

When you hear me and every member of the Atiku Presidential campaign insisting on an issue-based campaign, it is because we are insisting on opening up opportunities in the Nigerian economy; we are insisting on creating greater value for our people, and we are insisting on working hand in hand to unite the country and bring it back from the brink of a shamelessly ill-contrived disintegration.

This issue-based campaign that will usher in the transformed Nigeria we all earnestly yearn for by 2019 is about getting Atiku Abubakar, all other leaders you appoint to all the elective positions, and every Nigerian wherever you may be; to get together, roll up our sleeves, and work out how we can put safe spaces over the heads of all Nigerians.

I sometimes ask myself why Atiku Abubakar bothers, and then I recall his humble beginnings in Jada, and where he has reached today. He enjoyed scholarships, both from the native authority and from the Federal Government. He also had the opportunity of serving for Twenty years in the security of a job in which He rose to the level of the Deputy Director of the Nigerian Customs.

Tapping from the opportunities available in private sector and business in Nigeria, He was privileged to have become one of the respected entrepreneurs who have created more opportunities in almost every industry. From education to agriculture; manufacturing to media; logistics to consultancy; and what have you, Atiku Abubakar has made giant strides and left a positive impact, and He owes it all to a principled Nigeria; emerging at the time, on solid democratic foundations.

Also; having had the opportunity to be the heartbeat of the Presidency as Vice President, I often debate with myself on if it would be okay for His Excellency to retire to the querencia of an idyllic family life with his children, from where he could leisurely pursue philanthropy; or if he has the energy within him, the passion and the plan, to transform this country and give our people the opportunity to bound into the Fourth industrial revolution?

This is a revolution which by the way is very inexorable, operosely demanding, and defiantly takes no prisoners… so many of the great nations we admire today will inevitably be left behind in the coming revolution, and the reason why I know he ‘bothers’ to champion the Nigerian cause, is because the inconvenience of electioneering is not a valid enough excuse for him to fetter the transformation that will poise our great nation to maximize the chances of seizing the glorious future for a greater Nigeria.

Atiku Abubakar bothers because he recognizes it as his responsibility to let every Nigerian know that we have a brilliant chance to build a brighter future for ourselves, if given the basic opportunities of a functional Nigeria. He bothers because “Every generation must out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfil it, or betray it”.

As such, I have to reiterate that this campaign must be about the issues. Do not hesitate to ask the questions you wish to have answers to, but let them be the questions that allows us to show you the roadmap to this our noble vision. We must; as a matter of urgency, detoxify the political arena; and with your help, His Excellency plans never to stray from the appropriate narratives and only accommodate the pertinent issues.

I know Atiku Abubakar has been thinking about this for a longer period; and perhaps it will take his rivals a bit more time to see the global advantage in reducing the narrative tensions and divisive politics which Africa has gotten its self locked into. As citizens, Atiku Abubakar bids you to do what is your duty. Your duty is to be peaceful, your duty is to be law abiding, but for the purposes of selection, your duty is to get yourself ready to exercise that sacred franchise that participatory democracy offers you by going out en masse to vote.

As our volunteers, staff, supporters, and the entire Atiku Presidential campaign train moves through the nooks and crannies of the country, I plead with you to welcome them with open arms; they are your friends and neighbours, your colleagues and your kinsmen. Listen to them; provide them with the questions that they may be able to answer, and accept my assurance that we will pass on to Atiku Abubakar, the questions beyond our scope if any. As a fan of the media, you are all witness to His Excellency’s presence in the public spaces of all popular media; this is because the voice of every Nigerian matters to him.

Welcome to the campaign seasons of the 2019 general elections. A platform the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party intends to utilize in showing the entire world that African democracy has indeed come of age. Join us, and together let’s get Nigeria working again.

SIGNED:

SEGUN SHOWUNMI
DIRECTOR, MEDIA AND PUBLICITY
SPOKESMAN: ATIKU PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION

ON OCTOBER 6, 2018, I SOUGHT AND OBTAINED THE MANDATE OF THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY, TO FLY THEIR FLAG AS A CANDIDATE FOR THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA. TODAY, I AM FORMALLY PRESENTING MYSELF TO YOU AS THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE OF NOT JUST THE PDP, BUT OF THE HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS OF ALL NIGERIANS. 

THE SAD FACT TODAY, AS YOU KNOW, IS THAT TOO MANY OF OUR PEOPLEARE NOT WORKING AND ARE LIVING IN POVERTY AND INSECURITY. THE VERY FABRIC OF OUR SOCIETY IS BREAKING DOWN. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN SO DIVIDED AS A NATION.

THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION IN THIS ELECTION IS: “ARE YOU BETTER OFF THAN YOU WERE FOUR YEARS AGO? ARE YOU RICHER OR POORER?” THAT IS WHY OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS TO GET NIGERIA WORKING AGAIN.HOWEVER, I AM NOT HERE TO TELL YOU HOW I WILL GET NIGERIA WORKING AGAIN. INSTEAD I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU HOW WE WILL GET NIGERIA WORKING AGAIN TOGETHER. 

I AM STRONGLY OF THE VIEW THAT I AM JUST ONE NIGERIAN AND ONE NIGERIAN CANNOT BE AS WISE AS ALL NIGERIANS. THAT IS WHY I WILL OFFER AN INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP. ATIKU ABUBAKAR IS 100% FOR 100% OF NIGERIANS, 100% OF THE TIME. TOO OFTEN, NIGERIANS HAVE BEEN PROMISED BETTER GOVERNANCE BY THOSE SEEKING THEIR VOTES.  SUCH INDIVIDUALS HAVE PREYED ON THE LEGITIMATE DESIRES OF OUR PEOPLE FOR THEIR CONDITIONS TO BE IMPROVED, THAT THEY MAKE ALL SORTS OF PROMISES. BUT IT IS ONE THING TO PROMISE AND ANOTHER THING TO DELIVER.

I AM NOT ONE FOR MAKING GRANDIOSE PROMISES. RATHER THAN PROMISES, I BELIEVE IN POLICIES.  A PROMISE IS AN INDICATION TO DO A FUTURE ACTION.

A POLICY IS A PLAN TO ACHIEVE FUTURE GOALS. I BELIEVE IN SETTING GOALS AND COMING UP WITH REALISTIC PLANS ANDPOLICIES TO ACHIEVING THOSE GOALS. .TO ME, LEADERSHIP IS HAVING THE DISCIPLINE TO COMMIT TO ONE’S GOALS UNTIL THEY ARE A REALITY.

I HAVE SUCCEEDED IN RUNNING MY PRIVATE ENTERPRISES WHICH NOW EMPLOY 50,000 NIGERIANS BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN POLICIES AND I HAVE THE DISCIPLINE TO STAY WITH THEM UNTIL THEY BECOME REALITY. IT IS MY DESIRE TO RUN FOR THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, NOT BECAUSE I HAVE A BAG FULL OF PROMISES, BUT BECAUSE I AM PREPARED TO LEAD. 

OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS, I HAVE WORKED WITH THE BEST EXPERTS NIGERIA HAS TO OFFER TO COME UP WITH POLICIES AND PLANS THAT WHEN IMPLEMENTED WILL GET NIGERIA GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AGAIN. I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT WHAT I CAN DO. I AM TALKING OF WHAT I HAVEDONE BEFORE. WHEN I WAS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA FROM 1999 TO 2007, I CHAIRED THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL THATGAVE NIGERIA HER HIGHEST AND MOST CONSISTENT GDP GROWTH OF OVER 6% PER ANNUM.DESPITE THE FACT THAT CRUDE OIL PRICES AT THAT TIME WERE MUCH LOWER THAN THEY ARE TODAY, UNDER THE DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP OF PRESIDENT OBASANJO, WE PAID OFF NIGERIA’S ENTIRE FOREIGN DEBT. 

WE ALSO INTRODUCED THE GSM REVOLUTION THAT SAW NIGERIA GO FROM 100,000 PHONE- LINES TO OVER 100 MILLION TODAY. WE WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THESE, AND MUCH MORE, BECAUSE WE HAD A PLAN CALLED THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. THAT PLAN WORKED, AND TODAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF UNVEILING OUR POLICIES AND STRATEGIES, NOT PROMISES, TO TAKE NIGERIA FROM WHERE SHE IS RIGHT NOW, TO WHERE SHE NEEDS TO BE. THIS IS MY PLAN TO GET NIGERIA WORKING AGAIN.A PLAN THAT WILL GIVE NIGERIAN WORKERS A LIVING WAGE.A PLAN THAT WILL GIVE NIGERIA’S YOUTH A WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION.
A PLAN THAT WILL EMPOWER NIGERIAN WOMEN, REDUCE MATERNAL MORTALITY AND INCREASE THEIR FINANCIAL STABILITY.A PLAN THAT WILL CATER FOR THE ELDERLY, SO OUR PEOPLE ARE NOT AFRAID OF GROWING OLD.A PLAN THAT WILL INVEST IN OUR FAILING INFRASTRUCTUREBUT ABOVE ALL, THIS IS A PLAN THAT WILL HELP CREATE JOBS BECAUSE IN MY MANY TRAVELS ACROSS OUR GREAT NATION, THE ONE THING I CONSTANTLY HEAR, IS THAT OUR PEOPLE NEED JOBS.WITHOUT JOBS, OUR PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES AND OUR CHILDREN LIVE IN POVERTY.WITHOUT JOBS, THERE IS CRIME, DRUG USE AND INSECURITY. WITHOUT JOBS, WHERE IS THE HOPE FOR A BETTER LIFE AND A BETTER FUTURE?TODAY WE WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF SHARING OUR POLICIES THAT FORM MY PLAN TO CREATE JOBS, RESTRUCTURE THE POLITY, AND GET NIGERIA WORKING AGAIN.

PLEASE ALLOW ME TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF SUMMARY. IF ELECTED PRESIDENT, I WILL BE PRO-ACTIVE IN ATTRACTING INVESTMENTS AND SUPPORTING THE 50 MILLION SMALL AND MEDIUM-SCALE ENTERPRISES ACROSS NIGERIA FOR THE PURPOSE OF DOUBLING THE SIZE OF OUR GDP TO 900 BILLION DOLLARS BY 2025.THESE INVESTMENTS WILL CREATE A MINIMUM OF 2. 5 MILLION JOBS ANNUALLY AND LIFT AT LEAST 50 MILLION PEOPLE FROM POVERTY IN THE FIRST 2 YEARS.  MY TEAM AND I WILL ALSO HELP CREATE JOBS BY INNOVATING FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES SUCH AS THE NATIONAL OPEN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME THROUGH WHICH WE SHALL ENHANCE THE CAPACITY OF MASTER-CRAFTSMEN AND WOMEN TO TRAIN ONE-MILLION NEW APPRENTICES EVERY YEAR. 

OUR NATIONAL INNOVATION FUND AND SME VENTURE CAPITAL FUND INITIATIVES WILL PROVIDE STABLE AND SUSTAINABLE LONG-TERM SUPPORT TO ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS. MY PLAN TO RESTRUCTURE NIGERIA WILL LEAD TO A VAST INCREASE IN THE INTERNALLY GENERATED REVENUE, BOTH FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATES VIA THE MATCHING GRANTS THAT WE WILL PROVIDE TO STATE GOVERNMENTS THAT INCREASE THEIR OWN REVENUE.

LET ME BE CLEAR, NO STATE WILL RECEIVE LESS FUNDING THAN THEY GET TODAY – IN FACT ALL WILL RECEIVE MORE AND THE HARDER A STATEWORKS THE MORE THEY WILL GET. AND I AM NOT JUST PRESENTING THESE POLICIES TO YOU, I WANT YOU TOOWN THEM. TAKE A LOOK AT THEM. YOU CAN VIEW THEM AT ATIKU.ORG, AND YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE YOUR FEEDBACK. I WILL ALSO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYONE IN NIGERIA TO HAVE THEIR SAY ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.THESE ARE NOT JUST ATIKU ABUBAKAR’S PLANS, THESE WILL BE OUR PLANS.YOURS AND MINE. I STARTED OUT AS AN ORPHAN SELLING FIREWOOD ON THE STREETS OF JADA IN ADAMAWA, BUT GOD, THROUGH THE NIGERIAN STATE, INVESTED IN ME AND HERE I AM TODAY. IF NIGERIA WORKED FOR ME, I OWE IT AS MY DUTY TO MAKE SURE THAT NIGERIA ALSO WORKS FOR YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS.

IT IS TIME TO GET NIGERIA WORKING AGAIN, AND THESE ARE THE PLANS AND POLICIES I HAVE FOR ACHIEVING THAT. I APPEAL TO YOU TO JOIN ME ON THIS JOURNEY TOWARDS A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL NIGERIANS.THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND LISTENING. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.

Yola, Nigeria, 24 November, 2018: Our attention has been brought to a scheme whereby innocent hardworking Nigerians are being asked to buy a form for a sum of Five Hundred Naira in order for them to be beneficiaries of a financial grant allegedly being sponsored by Atiku Abubakar.

We want to put it on record that neither the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar nor the campaign gave any approval to this scheme or any other one like it.

We are aware that a great number of Nigerians are passing through rough patches as millions of people have slipped into the poverty conveyor belt as a result of the bad socio-economic policies of the current administration since 2015.

Jobs are being lost in quantum scale, businesses are folding up, foreign investors are afraid to bring in new capital for investments and the cost of living has ballooned to skyrocket proportion. The immediate consequence of all these is that the Nigerian has been laid prostrate for fleecing, out of the desperate bid to burrow their way out of financial incapacitation.

We therefore urge hardworking Nigerians not to fall victims of these fraudulent schemes and remind our compatriots, once again, that the election next year is about a choice between the current economic meltdown and a fresh opportunity to create more jobs for our people and get Nigeria working again.

Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization
Plot 120, Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent
Wuse II, Abuja

Titi Abubakar, wife of former Vice President of Nigeria Waziri Atiku Abubakar has admonished the new set of students graduating from the Feed and Read Programme of the American University of Nigeria (AUN) to show good examples of the values that can be imbibed  through education.

Mrs. Abubakar was a keynote speaker at the graudation ceremony for the pupils who previously were itinerant children but were recruited by the AUN as beneficiaries of the Feed and Read programme which offers the pupils meals everyday, medical care and also encouraging them to assimilate elementary lessons in arithmetic and English language.

In her address, the wife of the former Vice President remarked that all hands must be on deck to ensure that Nigerian children do not live by the street and saving them, especially the girl children from the dangers of alms begging and prostitution.

She said: ”We don’t want to neglect our children. We don’t want them to become a miscreant on the street of Nigeria. We want to feed them. We want to cloth them. We want them too to be people in future. And this is exactly what the founder (Atiku) is doing. That there is dignity in labor. That our children should not be found wanting.

“Our children should not be found wandering on the street of Rome because tomorrow we don’t know what they are going to become. These ones were picked from the street, they said, and you know they trained them, for nine months and now they are free to go into primary school. That is why there is no age limit in education.

These ones were being picked from the street; they had spent nine month, and we can see them – they can read, they can write, they have started speaking English. And only God knows, the sky is going to be their limit.”