Segun James
As the race for the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gets hotter, party faithful of the Lagos State chapter yesterday adopted Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki as their presidential project while also endorsing him for President.
Party faithful were asked to stand and adopt Saraki as their candidate following his plea that he is a “Full Lagos Boy” who was born and schooled in the state, he deserved their support, even as he told them that what the country need at this critical time is a president who has the capacity to deliver good governance to the people.
Saraki who was at the Lagos state PDP secretariat as part of his campaign to become the party’s presidential candidate in next year’s election, said with the quality of people in the party in the state, he has no doubt that the PDP would win the 2019 elections.
He pledged that come 2019, the PDP will be taking over the Alausa Government House; while also promising them that “what you have been fighting for all these years, you will have in 2019.”
Party leaders who accompanied Saraki to the event included Senator Dino Melaye, Dr. Ade Dosunmu; former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Senator Kofo Akerele-Bucknor, Mr. Deji Doherty, former Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada; Dr. Doyin Okupe and former national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, among others.
Saraki said it is time to change things, saying it is ironic that the call for the restructuring of the country is being made to a President who hasn’t got the capability and the understanding of what the call for restructuring is all about.
“A man cannot give what he does not have. The Asian Tiger nations became what they are today because they had visionary leaders. So, we must put the right person to lead the country. We have so many resources, but the leadership doesn’t have the ability; we need to have a digital president now”
He lamented that there are still parts of the country where the people still wonder if indeed they are still part of the country because of the policies of the present government.
Saraki complained that too much power is concentrated in the centre, hence the lure for the presidency. He pledged that under him, this would no longer be so.
He therefore said that a new arrangement would be made whereby more power is devolved to the states to ensure balance in the system.
While appealing for their support, Saraki promised to deliver the state to the PDP.
Responding, the acting state secretary of the party Mr. Muiz Dosunmu, wished Saraki well in his quest.
