The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has promised to boost education by injecting more funds into the sector if elected as president in the 2023 general election.

Atiku said this at the kickoff of his presidential campaign in the South-West region in Akure, the Ondo State capital on Wednesday.

The former Vice President stated that enough funds would be provided for the education sector to grow, especially university education, adding that a careful study of his policy document would reveal that “it is part of my plans to ensure the security and empowerment of the youths through education and entrepreneurship”.

Atiku said the party decided to start the campaign rally in Ondo State because the state gave it the highest number of votes in the South-West region in the 2019 presidential election.

He also promised to ensure that all the federal roads leading to Ondo State were motorable.

“We have started our campaign rally from Ondo State in the South-West. It is deliberate to appreciate what you did for us in the last election,” the PDP presidential flag-bearer said.

Atiku also reiterated his plan to set aside a sum of $10 billion for youth empowerment if elected, saying: “If you give us your mandate once again and we win, we will end insecurity; we will make all the federal roads connecting Ondo State to other parts of the country motorable.

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“To our young men and women, you are the ones who are going to vote for us, we promise you, we will set aside enough money for your empowerment.

“That is why we said in our policy document that we are going to set aside $10 billion to make sure that we provide small and medium enterprises for young men and women, to create jobs and to empower them for a better future.”

Speaking at the rally, the PDP’s vice-presidential candidate and Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, said the youths of the country were the ones suffering the most from bad governance.

Okowa said that if elected, Atiku would ensure that the standard of education improve significantly.

“Nigeria and Nigerian youths will never go to bed hungry again. That will become a thing of the past. Seeing you here, I believe it is settled,” he said.

On his part, the PDP National Chairman, Sen. Iyorcha Ayu, who described Ondo State as a PDP state, said he did not need to campaign again as the people were enlightened, and could not be deceived.

Ayu, however, appealed for the cooperation and togetherness of members for the PDP to return to power in the state and the country.

He, therefore, urged the people of Ondo State to repeat the 2019 feat by giving PDP the highest number of votes, saying Atiku would make life better for the citizens.

Others at the event were the Director-General, PDP Presidential Campaign Council and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; Governors Ademola Adeleke (Osun) and Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), amongst others.

The Star