My plans for Nigeria, by Atiku

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has promised that if elected, he will be pro-active in attracting investments and supporting the 50 million small and medium-scale enterprises across Nigeria for the purpose of doubling the size of the nation’s GDP to 900 billion dollars by 2025.

Atiku, in extracts from his campaign document circulated in Abuja on Monday, stated among others targeted investments that would create a minimum of 2. 5 million jobs annually and lift at least 50 million people from poverty in the first 2 years.

Atiku said, “My team and I will also help create jobs by innovating flagship programmes such as the national open apprenticeship programme through which we shall enhance the capacity of master-craftsmen and women to train one-million new apprentices every year.

“Our national innovation fund and SME venture capital fund initiatives will provide stable and sustainable long-term support to aspiring entrepreneurs.

“My plan to restructure Nigeria will lead to a vast increase in the internally generated revenue, both for the federal government and the states via the matching grants that we will provide to state governments that increase their own revenue.

“Let me be clear, no state will receive less funding than they get today – in fact all will receive more and the harder a state works the more they will get.

“And I am not just presenting these policies to you, I want you to own them. Take a look at them. You can view them at atiku.org, and you will have an opportunity to provide your feedback”.

The PDP candidate said he would also give the opportunity for anyone in Nigeria to have their say on national television, adding that, “These are not just Atiku Abubakar’s plans, these will be our plans. Yours and mine”.

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Continuing, Atiku said, “I started out as an orphan selling firewood on the streets of Jada in Adamawa, but God, through the Nigerian state, invested in me and here I am today.

“If Nigeria worked for me, I owe it as my duty to make sure that Nigeria also works for you, your family and your friends.

“It is time to get Nigeria working again, and these are the plans and policies I have for achieving that. I appeal to you to join me on this journey towards a better life for all Nigerians”.

Atiku lamented that millions of Nigerians are not working and are living in poverty and insecurity, stressing that the very fabric of the society is breaking down.

Stating that Nigerians have never been as divided like ever before, Atiku asked rhetorically, “Are you better off than you were four years ago? Are you richer or poorer”, adding that “That is why our primary focus is to get Nigeria working again”.

He continued, “I am strongly of the view that I am just one Nigerian and one Nigerian cannot be as wise as all Nigerians. That is why I will offer an inclusive leadership. Atiku Abubakar is 100% for 100% of Nigerians, 100% of the time.

“Too often, Nigerians have been promised better governance by those seeking their votes. Such individuals have preyed on the legitimate desires of our people for their conditions to be improved, that they make all sorts of promises.

“But it is one thing to promise and another thing to deliver. I am not one for making grandiose promises. Rather than promises, I believe in policies

“A promise is an indication to do a future action. A policy is a plan to achieve future goals. I believe in setting goals and coming up with realistic plans and policies to achieving those goals. .

“To me, leadership is having the discipline to commit to one’s goals until they are a reality. I have succeeded in running my private enterprises which now employ 50,000 Nigerians because I believe in policies and I have the discipline to stay with them until they become reality.

“It is my desire to run for the office of the president of the federal republic of Nigeria, not because I have a bag full of promises, but because I am prepared to lead”.