All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on Monday unveiled his manifesto for next year’s election before Nothern leaders.
The eminent politician promised to champion the cause of “an indivisible and prosperous Nigeria”, while also vowing to build on President Muhammadu Buhari’s infrastructural revolution.
Tinubu promised to return ‘out-of-school children, to school and make the North hub of agric business in Sub-Shara Africa.
Recalling how he supported Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar when he contested on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2007, Tinubu urged him to reciprocate the gesture by endorsing his candidature.
The APC standard bearer said Atiku should step down because it is “payback time” for him.
He said: “Atiku started from Uyo and now ended up in Kaduna and you are speaking to the North that you are the right candidate for the North; how do we reconcile that? You have lost the election.
“It is payback time. Let Atiku endorse me instead of organizing a rally in Kaduna, while I am addressing eminent personalities in Kaduna. I supported him in 2007.”
The joint committee is made up of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Northern Elders Forum, Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Jamiyyar Matan Arewa, Central for Historical Development Research, Arewa House, and Arewa Research and Documentation Project.
Tinubu laid his action plan before the committee, two days after Atiku appeared before the Northern leaders.
At the session, Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai spoke on why the North will vote for the APC candidate.
He said APC governors supported power rotation to the South in the spirit of honour, equity, fairness and justice, which the illustrious pathfinder, Sir Ahmadu Bello, stood for when he was alive.
El-Rufai said if the late Sarduna of Sokoto were alive today, he will support zoning to the South.
APC Campaign Director-General and Governor of Plateau State Simon Lalong said a great Nigeria is achievable under Tinubu’s leadership, adding that, if elected, the country will remain united and prosperous because he will give equal opportunities to citizens to thrive.
Tinubu, who spoke for 57 minutes, reiterated his commitment to an indivisible country where people can co-exist peacefully and realize their potential.
He paid tributes to the founding fathers – Sarduna Bello, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and former Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa – for their belief in the shared values of patriotism, equity, justice and brotherhood.
Tinubu added: “It is, therefore, no coincidence that at independence, this vision was laid out and encapsulated in our first National Anthem. It says: ‘Though tribes and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand.’
“This is a strong statement which acknowledges our diversity, and, therefore, the existence of different perspectives and interests, and how that should not stand on the path of our unity as brothers.
“The framers of this anthem, God rest their souls, will cringe to know that 62 years after, someone would come to this hallowed platform to campaign based on tribe or where others come from.
“The dream of those forefathers, ladies and gentlemen, was for a nation ‘where no man is oppressed, a nation ‘with peace and, these – unity in diversity, peace and prosperity – are the fulcrum of my mission in this contest. They also form the bulk of my address to you this afternoon, in line with the areas the organisers wanted me to address.”
Tinubu promised to consolidate the achievements of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in all sectors.
He said his administration, reminiscent of his feats as Lagos State governor, would implement workable policies that will nip insecurity in the bud in the North and across the country.
Nothing that the country is endowed with resources that can be harnessed for greater economic development, he said he would focus on investment and effective management.
Tinubu said: “Our economic plan would utilize the vast natural resources we have, through strategic investment in infrastructure, which will lead to the diversification of the economy and wealth creation across the entire country. We will pay attention to modern economic drivers such as the digital economy, creative industries, and sports and entertainment sectors for the benefit of our young people.
“Under my leadership, the Nigerian government will be business-friendly. We shall support private businesses in our country and attract foreign direct investment to create jobs, re-industrialise our country and accelerate economic development. Nigerian businesses in sectors like banking and cement have successfully ventured out of the country to build thriving subsidiaries.
“We will build a strong domestic economy, expand the capacity of our domestic market to support growth and encourage export capacity in the areas of our competitive advantage. We have the endowments to be a prosperous country. I will lead a renewed push to move us from the status of a nation of potential into a country of actual accomplishments as an economic dynamo.”
Tinubu also promised to deploy his experience in human capital development, which made Lagos one of the largest economies in Africa, to grow the nation’s economy to an enviable height.
He said: “Using my experience of building human capital, industries, and institutions, which has led to Lagos being one of the largest economies on the continent, I will reposition our existing industries and make them a competitive source of industrialization and growth, not just for the North, but the entire country. It is time to fetch water from a dry well. I, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have done it before and I will do it. We will find a way where there are no roads!
“I will ensure that we take advantage of our resources to convert cotton to textile, plants to pharmaceutical products, groundnut to edible oil, cassava to ethanol and starch, etc., thereby building competitive advantage for our farmers through value addition.
“I will attract investments and create the enabling environment that will ensure the resurgence of our moribund industries and continue the infrastructural revolution of this administration on the railways and highways all over the country and invest in our inland waterways for safer and efficient transportation to complement this industrialization vision.”
Tinubu noted that the North has a greater advantage in agriculture, assuring that the region will become the hub of agribusiness in Africa through huge investment in the sector, and in collaboration with the private sector.
He said: “Agriculture is of special interest to me. It is both an economic and existential issue for every country.
“Experience in the last seven years has shown the of agriculture in solving the problem of unemployment and boosting our GDP. For example, recent investment in the rice value chain has led to the springing up of rice mills across the country with attendant wealth creation and a reduction in our import bill.
“The North has a greater advantage in this regard due to its large and abundant arable land. My vision is for the region to be the hub of agribusiness in sub-Saharan Africa.”
Emphasising the need to reduce the out-of-school children in the North, Tinubu said: “Education is the most effective weapon against poverty. Comparative with other countries, education in Nigeria suffers from a funding deficit on account of our population and limited resources.
To ease financing for basic education and expand access, we will cut down on the counterpart fund required by states to access UBEC grants to an affordable percentage.
“Millions of our children are currently roaming the streets instead of being in classrooms. My administration will invest heavily in infrastructure to allow for the proper integration of these children into our conventional schools.”
Tinubu promised to move Nigeria from economic stability to prosperity through the laying of a gas pipeline to export gas to the United Kingdom, European Union (EU) and Russia.
He said: “Why are we not investing in a long-term plan to lead our gas, LNG to the United Kingdom, to Europe and compete with the Russians? And we say we don’t have enough resources.
On security, Tinubu said his government will tackle the threat to the peace, security and unity of Nigeria, adding to assured that kidnapping and banditry will end.
He added: “I assure you, under my leadership, every inch of our national territory will be secured and defended. The Nigerian military will receive a much-needed injection of trained personnel to strengthen the heroic efforts of the troops that are currently in service.”
On restructuring and state police, the APC candidate said: “In view of the anxiety around the security and safety of our people, there has been an increasing call for states to be allowed to establish their own police forces. I am aware of the recent resolution of northern governors and traditional rulers on the issue of state police.
“However, it is pertinent to note that the issue of state police, just like the larger debate around restructuring, is a constitutional matter that requires consensus-building. Restructuring means different things to different people. But it should be noted that my aspiration to lead this country is a testimonial of my strong belief in its unity and indivisibility.
“These, however, are matters that require consultation with critical stakeholders which include the Council of State, the Legislature, the Judiciary, state governments, traditional institutions, and groups like yours. I am willing to listen to all opinions to help us arrive at a definite stand that would be in the interest of the country.
“We will mobilize resources to enhance the welfare of personnel and provide the right equipment and training required for them to secure us all. We will sustain ongoing efforts of increasing the boots on the ground commensurate to our geography and population. These recruitments will be tailored to suit needs for specific care and expertise for each organ of the security architecture.”
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