*Says Nigeria never as disunited since civil war
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
Former Senate President and a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Bukola Saraki has said that anyone seeking to rule the country in 2023 will need to show Nigerians that he or she posseses the ability to turn the country around for the better within the shortest possible time.
He said that as a party, PDP appreciates that the country is not where it should be and is determined to give Nigerians a better option at the next election in 2023.
Saraki who is also a former governor of Kwara state, said that the level of inter ethnic distrust in the country has so degenerated that the only period in history it could be compared with was the civil war time.
Speaking on the Morning Show of Arise TV on Tuesday, Saraki said experience had shown that capacity and ability was a big issue in leadership of the country.
“This is not about propaganda and I think we need to move away from propaganda to substance. What we are saying is that we are not the ones creating the figures, I would be the first to admit if things were going on the right direction and it is not for the sake of power, the question is that we need to find solutions to a lot of these problems and today in most election the party who is there now has not met those promises even the ones they gave themselves, and people are saying that, and I am sure you are saying the same even when I listen to your show, people who come say Nigeria is not where its wants to be today which is a fact. And as such what we should be talking of is what is the alternative? And if you are happy and you believe that the path for Nigeria is to continue with this party and their programs, that is your choice and it is also the choice of others to say ‘no’ we must have a country that is secured,” he said.
He said the situation in country in 2015 was that only one part of the country was unsecured but now the entire part of the country has its own issue.
“That is not what people are ready to accept. A country where there are issues of disunity, that is not what anybody wants to accept. A country where most of our youths are either unemployed and those that can be employed are moving out of the country. This wasn’t the case in 2015 and a lot of people are saying we need an alternative and they are asking who is going to provide the alternative.
“Our responsibility, because of the importance of where we are as a country, we can’t afford to get it wrong this next election. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying PDP is perfect but I am saying election is about choice and we are in a better position to provide a better country for all. Talk about issues of where the country is in investment and how the world sees Nigeria. In the time of our party, there were a lot of opportunities for our esteem youth which do not exist now, that is what I am talking about,” he said.
