Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and presidential aspirant of All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar has urged his party not to leave any stone unturned in its quest to ensure free, fair and credible presidential primaries that will provide the impetus for enthroning the change that Nigerians have clamoured for.
Atiku’s charge to the APC is contained in a press statement issued by his media office in Lagos on Tuesday, welcoming the national delegates of the party to its national convention that will nominate its presidential candidate at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos on Wednesday.
“I do not need to overemphasise the importance of today’s event and the impact which the choice you make at this historic event will have on both our party and the nation at large,” Atiku told the delegates.
He stressed that the choice the delegates will make on Wednesday at the APC’s national convention will set the country on the path of enthroning the much-needed change for socio-economic and political progress and development.
“The choice you make the aspirants you choose to fly the flag of our party at today’s (Wednesday) presidential election will make the difference between victory and defeat for our party. It will also determine whether the teeming population of Nigerians will get the political change they are yearning for to give them the opportunity of a better life,” Atiku said.
He charged the delegates to be guided by the fact that for the past 16 years, the people of Nigeria have been forced to live under the most oppressive and despicable system of governance during which the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) rode rough shod over the nation and used the nation’s resources as they liked.
“The result of PDP’s misrule and disregard for the people of Nigeria is the sorry state in which we find ourselves today and we cannot afford to thread this path again,” Atiku said adding that he remains the best choice of the delegates to lead charge for the change that will enthrone an inclusive Nigeria for all.
He assured the delegates that he will make good on his commitment as enshrined in his policy document in critical areas of infrastructure, education, health, social services and employment in particular to the teeming army of unemployed youth.
He bemoaned that austerity is the clearest indication that the so-called transformation agenda of the Jonathan government has failed.
“Perhaps, the worst thing that this government has done to our country and our people is the imposition of austerity measures on a people who have been battered by poor government policy, waste and monumental corruption in the past 16 years,” he said.
Atiku called on the delegates to pitch their tents with him in the quest to begin the arduous task of pulling the country back from the brink and setting it on the path of progress, economic rejuvenation and development.
“Let us put an end to continuous poverty, austerity and insecurity by making a sound choice for the APC. The envisaged change starts today by the choice that you make,” he said.