The presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has warned Nigerians not to vote for his challenger in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, in the forthcoming general election, saying a vote for the PDP would be an error that will be hard to correct.
Tinubu said several facts have revealed that Atiku is only interested in the presidential race to enrich himself and his friends.
The former governor of Lagos State said Atiku would only sell Nigeria to his “shady” friends in the name of privatisation if elected as president in 2023.
The APC presidential flag-bearer said this at the party’s presidential campaign rally held at Metropolitan Square in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital on Tuesday.
He said: “You earned a favorable and great place in the history of our progressive party and of the nation when you voted for the APC to chase the PDP out of this beautiful and historic town. You kicked them out and now they want to come back.
“Do not let them back in. They only want to devour what they could not take the first time. If you give them the chance, they will strip Kwara and Nigeria bare to the bone.
“The PDP candidate in the race is well known for selling everything that has the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s name on it. If it is part of the public treasure or national patrimony, he is looking to pawn it to one of his shady partners.
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“He wants to sell off your chance at a decent job, good schools, a nice home, and a happy life. His aim is to sell and turn our public assets into his private profit. He wants you to go hungry so that he can feast off the abundance of the land.”
Tinubu also spoke on the recent revelation by one of Atiku’s former aides, Michael Achimugu, who alleged that the former Vice President set up Special Purpose Vehicle companies to siphon the country’s funds.
“Before today, we used to call him Mr. Privatise. But today, we must give him a new name. One that comes from his own mouth.
“He is now Mr. SPV. From his own mouth, we have heard him admit that he and his old boss conspired to rob from the Nigerian treasury millions upon millions of dollars. They did this by using a fancy business device called an SPV, Special Purpose Vehicle, to hide the money.
“By his antics, Atiku has changed the meaning of SPV. It is no longer a business unit. With him, it is a money-eating monster. From henceforth, Atiku shall be known as MR. SPV. S for Stealing, P for Plunder, and V for Vicious.
“For this is a vicious assault on the public funds, public welfare, and on the public conscience. How can he so brazenly steal and plunder yet ask you to return him to the scene of the crime. He wants to return to the crime scene not to repent but to repeat the Stealing Plundering and Viciousness.
“You must stop him before he stops your dreams and aspirations for a better Nigeria,” Tinubu added.
He, however, urged the people of Kwara State to vote for him and all APC candidates in the 2023 general election.
Tinubu said the APC just like it has done in the about eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has shown that it means well for the country and its citizens, promising to continue with this.
“Instead, the APC has a much better way for you. We have good and positive plans for this country.
“If you give us the mandate with your vote, we will carry Kwara and the rest of the country to a more prosperous and secure future,” he added.
Tinuu further promised to take advantage of the agricultural resources in abundance in Kwara State to transform the state for the creation of jobs and welfare of the citizens.
He said: “We will return farming to its glorious past of profitability. Farmers will be paid the full value of their toil and their produce. This will be achieved through Commodity Exchange boards setting a minimum price for strategic agricultural produce.
“We shall create agricultural hubs throughout Nigeria. These hubs will increase land under cultivation. They will also wed small, medium, and large farms so that small farms will benefit from the expertise and equipment of the larger ones.
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“We shall continue the progress made by the present administration by enhancing agricultural productivity and agro-allied industry. We will boost our production so that we turn our country of importers into one of exporters. We have the experience and the will to make it happen.”
Speaking on education, Tinubu said: “We will prioritise education as a tool for empowerment. It is not just about producing more and more graduates.
“We will improve the quality of our education to make our youths more productive and will reform education such that our able and energetic young people are given the skills and knowledge needed to fill the jobs and compete in the economy of the future.”
The APC presidential candidate equally vowed to ensure that the country is secure and conducive for everyone to move around unhindered and without fear if elected as president.
“We will secure our nation and our borders through recruiting and deploying more security personnel, improving the communications, equipment, and training of our personnel as well as using top-shelf technology to improve ground and aerial surveillance.
“These evil crimes, kidnapping, and terror networks want to put a roadblock in the way of your destiny and future. But we shall take up our progressive broom and sweep away their evil doings so that we can move forward to our nation’s best destiny,” Tinubu declared.
Also speaking at the rally, Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, thanked the people of the state for the massive turnout, urging them not to allow “those who stole your future, who could not pay your salaries and pensions to return to power.”
Others at the rally were the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu; the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, and the Director-General of the Tinubu-Shettima Campaign and Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong; among others.
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