May 09, (THEWILL) – Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Monday, expressed worry that the country was gradually hitching into a failed state due to insecurity and bad economy of the nation
Saraki disclosed this when he met delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abeokuta, Ogun state, to solicit their votes in the May 29 convention, to clinch the presidential ticket of the party in the 2023 election.
The ex-Senate President, who lamented the spate of kidnappings, killings and banditry in the country, said that Nigeria needs to vote in a bold and courageous president in the next election to rid the country of the menace.
He recalled the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, where a pregnant captive gave birth while in hostage, stressing that over 1,800 Nigerians had been killed and many kidnapped, lamenting that the people could no longer travel by road safely, as disunity in the country is worse than Nigerian civil war.
According to him, Nigerians should look beyond sentiment, religion and zoning to elect their next president so as to unite and save her from the verge of collapse and her current woes. Insisting that he remains the aspirant to turn around the fortune of the country.
The former governor of Kwara State, who is aspiring to be president on the platform of PDP, also expressed regret that 80% of the country’s revenue is currently used as debt services, noting that such would only drive the country backward.
He described the country’s rate of unemployment as alarming, calling for urgent need to resolve the issue of insecurity, so that local and foreign investors can come into the country to invest, while urging Nigerians to vote for someone that can be a bridge between the public and private sector.
Saraki, who had earlier visited the Former President of the country, Olusegun Obasanjo, at his residence in Abeokuta, said he did so because he started his political career in Obasanjo’s administration.
He, therefore, called on the state delegate members of PDP to vote for him to become the presidential candidate of the party, stating that his decision to head the reconciliatory committee of the party, was to put an end to the 10 years crisis that has made the party lose at the polls.
“It is my intention to serve this country with your support as the next president of the federal republic of Nigeria in 2023. I am happy that I am in the gateway state, a state full of well enlightened, educated people who know where we are in the country. In the 2023 election, we don’t have the luxury of just electing anybody. This country is gradually hitching into a failing state.
“The insecurity is there for us to see, where you cannot go by road from place to place. Over 1,800 people have been killed, our people have been kidnapped, we even have a case where a woman gave birth while being held hostage. Was that in the time of PDP? Did we see that? Even during the civil war, yes there was insecurity during the war, but there were parts of the country that were stable.
“But now in the Northwest. There is banditry, insecurity, kidnapping, North central farmers cannot go out, people are dying everyday, North East, there is problem in the South East, South South today the highest number of oil theft is going on that has not been seen in this country, over 500,000 barrels everyday.
“In 2015, the employment level of this country was about 8%, today it is about 34%. We all know that the exchange rate in 2015 today is less than 230, today it is hitting 700. This country now needs a leader that has the capacity and knowledge, not a president that is waiting for people to guide them on what to do. We need a president that can unite Nigeria.
“I am very confident and I believe the kind of leadership this country requires I can provide that leadership and my consultation with delegates across the country I can see a change people are looking for capacity people are looking for somebody that can unite the country people are looking for somebody that is not about North and South, people are looking for somebody that is not about what religion they worship, but people that have the energy and experience.
“And I am here in Ogun State to see PDP delegates, but I can’t come to Ogun State without paying a visit to the former president of Nigeria. Somebody I am very close to and I started my political career with and we thank God for his health and his energy and passion for this great country, it surpasses us to see that we turn this country and provide the kind of country he wishes”, he added.
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