JUST IN: Atiku formally declares for presidency, vows to create a Nigeria for all

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar today declared his intention to contest the 2015 presidential elections under the platform of the All Progressives’ Congress, APC, saying, “I have what it takes to bring people together and turn things around for the better. I want to lead a government that will create a Nigeria for all.”
Atiku who made known his interest at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre in Abuja disclosed that Nigeria seem to be on auto pilot with no one in charge. He therefore asserted that the nation needed a strong, dynamic, decisive, competent and visionary leadership that can halt the current drift of the ship of state, fight corruption, create jobs, rebuild decaying infrastructure, provide social services and tackle insecurity in a decisive and robust manner.
While warning that never again should the future of the country be subjected to leadership experimentation and learning in governance, he highlighted his stewardship as Vice-president between 1999 to 2007, stressing that although the administration he served in could not resolve all of Nigeria’s problems and challenges, no one can accuse it of lacking in leadership, commitment, planning or execution.
The leading APC contender for the party’s ticket lambasted the current administration over the nation’s debt burden which has continued to increase even though the price of oil has consistently being above a hundred dollar per barrel since the inception of the present dispensation. He added that a number of major manufacturing companies have left Nigeria to other neighbouring countries while those that remain operate far below their installed capacity due mainly to poor infrastructure.
Atiku decried the present environment for doing business in the country, noting that “our ranking of the world competitiveness has worsened, therefore job opportunities for our teaming youths have become harder to come by.” He recalled with sadness the avoidable death of 20 graduates who died during the poorly conducted immigration recruitment exercise, regretting that it is unfortunate that no public officer has been held accountable for the incident.
He also lamented that insurgents were hoisting strange flags in large swathe of Nigerian territories. ”What we have is a serious governance deficit.” He stressed that an APC led- government will promote a new socio- political order which “will compel leadership to always balance power and authority with service and accountability.”

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