Atiku: I’ll Give Everyone Sense of Belonging in My Government

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar,. has promised to give every part of the country a sense of belonging in his government if elected president in next month’s election.

The former vice-president stated this yesterday at the presidential rally of the party in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State.

Atiku also urged the people of Bayesla not to make a mistake of leaving the main opposition party.

He stated: “I want to remind you that since the beginning of democracy, Bayelsa has been PDP and PDP has been Bayelsa. Everything you see in Bayelsa today was provided by the PDP government. Therefore, I am calling on you, the people of Bayelsa not to leave PDP, don’t make the mistake of leaving PDP.

“You have produced governors, a president and you are going to provide many more. So, the future of Nigeria and Bayelsa is tied to PDP. I want to appeal to you, you have listened to my programmes. I said I am committed to implementing five key programmes in this country, starting from the unification of this country. The reason why I want to unify the country is because we have never been this divided along a number of fault lines either north-south or Muslim and Christian.

“I am going to give every part of this country a sense of belonging in the next PDP government. I promise to tackle insecurity. Here in Bayelsa state, you have faced a number of security challenges, you have lost so many people, due to breach of law and order, I promise I will restore security in this country.”

Atiku further promised to revamp the country’s economy, which he said was now in comatose; provide jobs and other opportunities for the young men and women to be gainfully employed either in the private or public sector.

Also, the Director General of the campaign and the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, said the last president produced by PDP was from Bayelsa State, adding it was time for Bayelsans to appreciate the PDP again by coming out en masse to vote for all the candidates of the PDP in the February and March elections. 

He noted that Atiku was the only candidate in this election with a clear pathway to restructure Nigeria.

The vice-presidential candidate of the party and Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, said the south-south was the home of PDP and expressed confidence that the party would win.

“What we have come to tell you today is that we need to go from house to house, market place to market place, from community to community. This time, we want to come out with the vote that will make Nigerians to respect the South-south.

“This is the best opportunity we have as a party to reclaim the presidency and I am sure that Bayelsa is ready. Go out there and ensure that you deliver a minimum of 700,000 votes and I know that in the South-south geopolitical zone, we are committed to delivering a minimum of five million votes and I know that it is doable. We must work to deliver that quantum of votes.”

On his part, the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, urged the people not to abandon the party, saying the main opposition party cared for the people unlike the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Do not abandon this party, this is the party of the people and with the people, we shall stand by. It is because of that a few made a mistake of voting for the other party. Let me tell you if you vote for them, they will always disappoint you. Is rice not 50-something thousand now? Have they not disappointed you? Everybody in this country is suffering.

“We need to come back to power and continue doing what we know doing best – developing our people, looking after those issues that touch them,” he said.