Ladies and Gentlemen; Fellow Nigerians:
I have just submitted my nomination form to the Peoples Democratic Party to officially declare my intention to seek the nomination of the party to run for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the elections scheduled for 2019. This is a somber moment for me. Today marks the beginning of my journey, our journey together, to get Nigeria working again.
I would not be seeking this nomination if our country is working. I am very sad that 11 million Nigerians have become unemployed since May 29, 2015. And this does not include the millions more who never had a job since leaving school. I have created thousands of jobs in my private businesses and I know how to lead a government that would do the same for Nigeria.
It weighs deeply on my heart that Nigeria has become the world headquarters for extreme poverty according to the World Economic Forum and the World Poverty Clock.
I am not happy that there are so much killings and terror across the country that the Global Terrorism Index rates Nigeria as more terrorised today than she was in 2015.
I am not happy that Nigeria is perceived to be more corrupt today than she was in 2015 having moved 12 steps backwards, from 136 in 2014 to 148 today, in the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index. 136 is bad enough; 148 is simply unacceptable and shameful especially under a government that claims that fighting corruption is its priority.
Today marks my first step to lead the efforts to move our people from extreme poverty to prosperity, from joblessness to employment, from senseless killings and fear to security, from so much division to being united around a shared vision and values, and from global irrelevance to a shining place in the comity of nations.
I ask all PDP Delegates and indeed all Nigerians to join me at this sober moment to spare a thought for our country and to consider working with me to get Nigeria working again. This a step into our future.
Let us work together to create the right conditions for investments to flow in and flourish to create jobs for our people. Let’s work together to send poverty packing. Let us, together, reduce corruption so that our resources will be deployed to our national priorities. Let us work together to fight all types of terrorism and other crimes. Let’s work together to restructure Nigeria for better governance and to unite our peoples. Let’s get Nigeria working again.
PDP-Power!
Power to the People-PDP!
Thank you very much.
*Statement by Atiku Abubakar, GCON, former Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the occasion of the Submission of his Presidential Nomination Forms to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the PDP National Headquarters, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.
6 September, 2018.
