By Myke AgunwaAhead of the Primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), slated for the 29th of May, on of the party’s Presidential aspirants Sen. Bukola Saraki has stated that the country needs a leader with requisite experience and capacity to bridge the gap between the rich and poor, Christians and Muslims, North and South and said that he is an embodiment of those qualities.
He went further to add that the country is not in short supply of ideas but leadership adding that his Presidential aspiration is to provide the needed direction for the transformation of the country.
The former President of the Senate claimed that his Presidential ambition is propelled by the fact that some Nigerian child are still out on school, Nigeria is still the poverty capital of the world, Nigeria is not the tech hub for Africa, 65 million of citizens still live in slum conditions; people break the laws of Nigeria with impunity; crude oil revenue still the mainstay of the economy; villages and forests still controlled by terrorists, bandits and other criminal groups; some old woman cannot afford treatment for diabetes or malaria, a trend he has resolved to reverse if he makes it to the number one position in the country.
According to Saraki, “We never lacked ideas in this country. We all seem to know what needs to be done. What we have missed is leadership; the ability to rally everyone and everything around agreed priorities, to set measurable targets, to be uncompromising in achieving results, and to accept no excuse or justification for failure. This critical vacuum is what I intend to fill. This leadership with a purpose is what I bring to the table, and this is what would make the difference”.
The former Kwara State governor who made these disclosures on Thursday in Abuja during a Media Breakfast meeting with the media, friends and PDP delegates said that he had operated as the chief executive of a state and head of parliament which exposed him to the challenges of democracy and policy making.
“I Can Do It. My portfolio of experience at the executive level, and at the highest legislative institution of our country, makes me a unique asset in democratic leadership at a time that calls for consensus building, for cooperation and for compromise.
“I know how business works. I know how government functions. And I know how the legislature operates. This diverse experience stands me out. And I will bring the experience to bear in getting the most critical constituencies behind the tough decisions that we must take if Nigeria must survive” Saraki boasted.
The aspirant stressed that he will be president that will “represent a Nigerian identity that is truly diverse, truly inclusive and truly Nigerian. I will be the bridge between the young and the old. I will be the bridge between the private sector and the public sector. I will be the bridge between Muslims and Christians. I will be the bridge between North and the South because I am the Nigerian for all Nigerians” he said.
Saraki who was accompanied by his wife Doyin, said that naysayers may be skeptical about his ability to achieve the hefty ambition but responded that even if he is not able to achieve all that has been listed in his manifesto, he would like to go down in history as the president that brought insecurity unemployment, economic retrogression, brain drain and unstable educational programme to a halt.
“I agree, the problems that we face are so many and so daunting that we may not solve them all in the lifetime of a presidency or even in our lifetime. The point is not whether we would be able to solve all the problems; or whether I possess a magic wand that will turn our country into a paradise overnight.
“We can be the turning point generation; in whose time everything began to change. The generation that despite our differences, we are able to unite against poverty and hunger, because poverty and hunger spare no tribe or religion.
“We can be the generation that is collectively embarrassed to admit that we have more children out of school than any other country in the world and therefore resolve to ensuring that every Nigerian child, regardless of the circumstance of her parents, is guaranteed quality basic education.
“We can be the generation that is determined to make ours the last generation in whose time people aspiring for public office would be judged based on the content of their character and their capacity not on which part of the country they come from, what language they speak or how they worship God. Let us be the last generation that would ask, “Where do you come from,” rather than “What can you do?”
The event was graced by seasoned journalists and a lot of party big wigs including Senator Ben Obi and Board of Trustee Chairman of PDP, Sen. Walid Jubrin.
