By Ahmed Ajikobi
It was a mammoth crowd at Ilorin metropolitan square, Kwara state, on Thursday as PDP family, Kwarans flooded the campaign arena when the President of the 8th Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki led the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign to kick start the North central campaign.
Saraki who is a Special Envoy to PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar while addressing mammoth crowd urged Kwarans and other Nigerians to vote PDP during 2023 general elections.
L-R: PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, PDP Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, PDP Vice Presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa and Former Senate President Sen. Abubakar Bukola Saraki at the Atiku/Okowa PDP Presidential Campaign Rally in Ilorin, Kwara State.
He said APC led government deceived Nigerians with fake promises and propaganda in 2019, noting that the ruling government has no capacity to tackle problem of poverty, insecurity and poor economic management.
According to him,“Four years ago we gathered here to explain reasons to support PDP and Atiku. We say you should vote PDP, if you don’t want hunger and insecurity to continue but they deceived our people with fake promises about next level. The people are suffering today due to growing insecurity and poverty across the country.
“I am happy that Atiku is here again. He has the capacity to rescue Nigeria and reset the country to the path of recovery. My people, do not allow them to deceive you again. Vote PDP in all elections from Presidential, National Assembly, governorship and House of Assembly come 2023. We must get it right this time around.
“I hear the current administration in Kwara talk about 16 years of rot. Which rot? Our administration built the Presidential lodge, International Aviation College, Kwara State University and other impactful projects including the Metropolitan Square we are using today. They believe in propaganda but Kwarans can see the difference now. Vote Atiku for a better Nigeria and Vote Yaman to return PDP to power in Kwara State, Vote for other party candidates.”
L-R: PDP National Organising Secretary, Hon. Umar Bature, Kwara PDP Deputy Gubernatorial Candidate, Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola, Kwara State PDP Gubernatorial candidate, Alh Shuaibu Yaman Abdullahi; Chief Okey Muo Aroh, Former Senate President Sen. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, PDP National Secretary, Sam Anyanwu and National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Bar. Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN) at the Atiku/Okowa PDP Presidential Campaign Rally in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The Waziri Ngeri who could not hide his joy with massive turnout of Kwara residents and PDP supporters at the venue, showcase his dancing steps and swags.
In his address, the former Vice President and leading Opposition Party Presidential Flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar promised to reset Nigeria to the path of recovery.
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar further said that a sum of $10 billion has been set aside in his programme to tackle youth unemployment in the country if elected president.
He noted that the money would be used to establish Nigerian youth in micro, small and medium enterprises to empower them and make them gainfully employed for a decent living.
“I want to assure you that the youth unemployment which is all over the country is not peculiar to Kwara state or the North Central zone. Most of you here are under the age of 30 and most of you here have no jobs or businesses. We will make sure that in our programme, I’ve promised that I’ll set aside $10billion to make sure that youth unemployment are catered for in micro, small and medium enterprises to empower you and to make sure that you are gainfully employed so that you have a decent living.
“We’re not here to tell you lies. We’re your parents. We want you to be like what we are. We will bail you out. We will bring you up. We will make sure you obtain your objectives, whatever your lofty ambition. That’s why we are here. Don’t vote for APC again. Vote for all candidates of the PDP come 2023.
“We also promise to restore security all over the country. When they came, they said they would tackle insecurity in six months. But what do we see? We now see insecurity all over the country. It’s a total failure by the APC in all its ramifications”.
The PDP presidential candidate, who promised to return Kwara state to mainstream of Nigerian politics, if elected as president in 2023, appealed to the people to elect all PDP candidates for the 2023 general elections.
“I know Kwara state for a very long time. Kwara is in the middle of the country; connecting the North, South. We’ve seen how road infrastructure had been allowed to deteriorate. It was PDP that built the roads. And they’ve come and didn’t maintain the roads and the roads are very bad and un-motorable today.
“We promise that if you elect PDP at both the state and national levels, we will ensure that the roads are connected to both sides of the country.
“Four years ago, they came here to deceive you and told you lies. You’ve seen all the lies they told. Have they performed better than PDP? Are you going to vote for them again? Now, PDP has come to bring prosperity to you all”, he said.
The PDP presidential candidate, who said that the party on Wednesday inaugurated council of women for PDP, added that it was the first in the history of the PDP; the oldest party in the country.
Alhaji Atiku commended the people for the turnout and thanked them for the support and warm reception.
Atiku flanked by his running mate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu and some PDP governors says Nigeria cannot afford to repeat 2019 mistake by voting APC.
The Chairman PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Governor Udom Emmanuel and Director General, Governor Aminu Tambuwal reiterated the Kwara PDP campaign theme -OSU WA by saying Nigerians are tired of APC government due to their insensitivity to suffering of people and hard economic policies.
Meanwhile, the congregation in their response to both Saraki and Atiku said they are tired of APC at state and National level and promised to vote out Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq and his people.
