The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, says he plans to set aside $10 billion for youth empowerment schemes to tackle youth unemployment in the country if elected as president in 2023.

Atiku said the money would be used to establish micro, small, and medium enterprises to empower youths and make them gainfully employed for a decent living.

The former Vice President said this at the presidential campaign of the PDP in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on Thursday.

“I want to assure you that the youth unemployment which is all over the country is not peculiar to Kwara State or the North Central.

“Most of you here are under the age of 30 and most of you here have no jobs or businesses.

“We will make sure that in our programme, I’ve promised that I’ll set aside $10 billion to make sure that youths are catered for in micro, small and medium enterprises to empower them and to make sure that they are gainfully employed so they can have a decent living.

“We’re not here to tell you lies. We’re your parents. We want you to be like what we are. We will bail you out. We will bring you up.

“We will make sure you obtain your objectives, whatever your lofty ambition. That’s why we are here. Don’t vote for APC again. Vote for all candidates of the PDP come 2023,” Atiku said.

The PDP presidential flag-bearer also promised to tackle in security in the country, saying: “When they came, they said they would tackle insecurity in six months. But what do we see? We now see insecurity all over the country. It’s a total failure by the APC in all its ramifications.”

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Atiku, who promised to return Kwara State to Nigerian mainstream politics, appealed to the people to elect all the PDP candidates in the 2023 general election.

“I know Kwara State for a very long time. Kwara is in the middle of the country; connecting the North and South.

“We’ve seen the road infrastructure had been allowed to deteriorate. It was PDP that built the roads. And they’ve come and didn’t maintain the roads and the roads are very bad and un-motorable today.

“We promise that if you elect PDP at both the state and national levels, we will ensure that the roads are connected to both sides of the country.

“Four years ago, they came here to deceive you and told you lies. You’ve seen all the lies they told. Have they performed better than PDP? Are you going to vote for them again? Now, PDP has come to bring prosperity to you all,” the former Vice President added.

Atiku, who said the party on Wednesday inaugurated the council of women for PDP, stated that it was the first in the history of the party the council will be inaugurated.

He, however, commended the people for the large turnout and thanked them for the support and warm reception accorded him.

Also speaking at the rally, the Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, said the event was a clear message to the APC in Kwara State that the state belongs to the PDP.

Tambuwal urged the people of the state to join hands with the PDP in its quest to return to power by coming out enmasse to vote for the party in the 2023 general election.

Others at the rally were the National Leader of the PDP and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; and Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, among other party chieftains.

The Star