PDP’ll rebuild Nigeria, Atiku vows at campaign flag-off

The campaign of the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, got off the starting block in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Monday, with a pledge to revitalise the economy, fight insecurity and unite Nigerians.

Five aggrieved governors, including Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State; and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, however, stayed away from the campaign, deepening further the rift in the party.

However, governors and stakeholders of the South South geo-political zone on the platform of the party had at a meeting on Sunday night, vowed to unite and work hard towards rescuing Nigeria from its present morass during the 2023 general elections.

Speaking at the rally, Abubakar said, “Nigeria wants to be like Akwa Ibom. You know why? Because since 1999, you have not changed party, but you can see the development that is taking place here in Akwa Ibom.

”You can see the prosperity that is taking place in Akwa Ibom, you can see the security that is available in Akwa Ibom. So the rest of Nigeria would like to be like Akwa Ibom.

“We want to dedicate the launching of this campaign to the achievements of Akwa Ibom PDP for good governance.

“When PDP came to power in 1999, we met Nigeria in a state of poverty, insecurity, hunger, lack of education.

“We lifted Nigeria from the bottom to the top. We became the biggest economy in Africa, we had peace, we had progress but when Nigerians said they wanted change, they voted for change in 2015.

“What we have seen is poverty, insecurity, lack of jobs and disunity. Our children are no longer going to school. Is that what we want to continue in?

“So, today (yesterday), we have inaugurated the flag off of our campaign to rescue Nigeria from hunger, to rescue Nigeria from poverty, and also bring back the unity that we require in this country.

“I want to appeal to all Nigerians, I am standing in Akwa Ibom today to ask them to vote for PDP.

“If you vote for PDP, it would be a return to prosperity, it would be a return to unity, it would be a return to your safety. There would be no more hunger, there would be security.

“I swear, If you vote for PDP, you will not be out of school, you will get jobs, there will be security, there will be unity.”