Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has said he would privatise the Warri, Kaduna and Port-Harcourt refineries to raise $10 billion to set up small and medium scale industries for Nigerian youths.
Atiku, who addressed party faithful and his supporters at a presidential campaign rally held at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos yesterday, urged the people of Lagos State to do away with a family government that had been ruling the state in the last 23 years and vote for a PDP government they can call their own.
The rally which was attended by the director-general of Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign, Udom Emmanuel, who is the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Atiku running mate Mr Ifeanyi Okowa, Bayelsa State governor Doyle Diri, the party national Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, Taraba State governor Darius Ishiaku , former governorship aspirant in Bayelsa, Timi Alaibe, former governor of Rivers State Celestine Omeha, and wife of the presidential candidate, Titi Abubakar, and Alhaji Muktar Shagari.
Others are former speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, Senator Dino Melaye, Senator Ben Bruce amongst other party chieftains in attendance.
Atiku explained that he would restructure the country if elected president of Nigeria, whereby states and local governments will have autonomy and control their resources.
Atiku said the party in government in Lagos State has been lying to people that it turned Lagos to a modern state, saying that was a lie and that he could bear witness to that.
Earlier in his speech, the DG of the campaign, Emmanuel, commended the party supporters, for surmounting all hurdles of scarcity of fuel and buses to attend the rally.
He said the economy of Lagos State was buoyant some years back before the party ruling the state came on board, adding that the economy of the state was far better than the economy of West Africa countries put together.
Okowa in his speech said Atiku is the only acceptable presidential candidate to Nigerians and he is well acceptable across the six geo political zones.
“He is tested, he meant well for the country. We want a Lagos State that works for all, not working for the rich and the poor getting poorer. Atiku is the only candidate of all contesting that will return the lost glory of Nigeria,” Okowa said.
The party’s governorship candidate in Lagos State, Olajide Adediran (JANDOR) who was flanked by his running mate Funke Akindele said one of the major reasons he was contesting the governorship position was to put an end to the suffering Lagosians have been subjected to.
He said the people of Lagos State have been subjected to 23 years of suffering and the situation was so because those who were saddled with the administration of the state lack managerial ability and have never run a business successfully.
He urged the electorates to take the presidential election more seriously, adding that if they vote en masse for Atiku and he wins the February 25,2023 presidential election, to win the governorship election in Lagos would be much easier.