· Politics
- Eulogises Obj’s administration
- Promises to fix economy
The APC chieftain in his declaration speech, titled; “Time for Change,” presented before the gathering of his party faithful noted that Nigerians have been dehumanised as a result of what he called serious governance deficit.
In his critique of all sectors of the country under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, the former vice-president submitted that most of the economic reforms initiated by the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999-2007 had been reversed while institutions that should lay the foundation for good governance and accountability ” are now mere shadows of themselves.”
He further said: “We know the story today. Rather than continuing to pay down our debts, our borrowing has actually been increasing even though the price of oil has consistently been above $100 per barrel since the inception of the current administration.
” The percentage of our budget that is implemented has diminished significantly since capital projects are poorly cash-backed.
“A number of major manufacturers have divested from Nigeria and relocated to neighbouring countries while those that remain operate at far below their installed capacity due mainly to poor infrastructure.
” The environment for doing business, and our ranking in world competitiveness index have worsened. Therefore, job opportunities for our teeming youth have become harder to come by.
“We recall with sadness the avoidable deaths of job seekers during the poorly organized so-called Immigration Service recruitment exam just last year. Up to this moment no one has been held accountable for those needless deaths.
“On human development, our infant and maternal mortality, and poverty and illiteracy levels continue to be embarrassingly high. “Thus, while countries such as Ghana, Gabon and Botswana are classified by the UNDP as being at the Medium Human Development Level, Nigeria is grouped with those at the Low Human Development Level.
This situation reinforces the urgent need for change. We cannot continue down this path of national decline.
“Resentment, disillusionment and hopelessness are the emotions on which insecurity and disharmony thrive. Our country is more divided today than at any other time since the civil war. “There is a disturbing rise in ethnic nationalism and religious bigotry. This is promoting social tension and mutual distrust amongst the people of Nigeria. All over the country, there are daily breaches of security resulting in loss of lives and properties. Armed robbery, kidnappings and human trafficking continue to ravage many parts of the country. A bunch of extremist insurgents are hoisting strange flags on large areas of our territory that they claim to have conquered. “Unspeakable horrors are now being committed daily against our people by anti-social elements in the name of religion and other causes.
“Government has a responsibility to do everything possible to halt the on-going dehumanization of Nigerians. “Unfortunately what we have is a serious governance deficit. To put it bluntly, our country seems to be on auto pilot with no one in charge.”
Atiku assured Nigerians that under the APC led federal government the governance deficit would be redressed.
” We need a strong, dynamic, decisive, competent and visionary leadership that can halt the current drift of the ship of state, fight corruption, create jobs, rebuild our infrastructure, provide social services and tackle insecurity in a decisive, robust multi-pronged way. This is the change we want and deserve and this is the change the APC is primed to offer. And that is why I am a proud member of this platform for change.”
Also addressing the gathering, former Benue state governor and Senate Minority Leader, George Akume declared that those who dumped the ruling party for the APC took the decision for the survival of democracy and for the country to move forward.
“Nigerians who can deliver and reconstruct a deconstructed country are in APC today,” Akume noted.
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