Leading presidential candidates in the February 26, 2023 election have unveiled what they intend to accomplish in the first 100 days in office, if elected.
The candidates are Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP), Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) and Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
They spoke yesterday at the 20th Daily Trust Dialogue in Abuja.
Obi Promises To Lead Nigeria By Consensus
In his presentation, Obi said that he will lead Nigeria by consensus if elected president in 2023.
Obi, who spoke via recorded video, said one of the first steps he would take if elected president is to secure the country.
He added that if the issue of security is dealt with, farmers can go back to farm and produce more so that Nigeria can feed itself.
He said, “I will ensure that Nigeria is united. I will govern by consensus. My number one priority today in Nigeria is the issue of security, because it has become an existential issue. You can’t talk about being a country until you are secure.
“This is an existential issue that must be dealt with head-on and decisively. If you deal with security, you can solve inflation. If you secure the country, you are indirectly dealing with pressing inflation; farmers will go back and produce more and food inflation will go down.”
Atiku: I Will Reinvent Principle Of Government Of National Unity
In the same vein, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, said the first direction that his administration will take is to reinvent the principle of government of national unity, which will make his administration address the peculiar agitations of Nigerians.
He said, “For me, therefore, the upcoming election is not a-winner-takes-all exercise; to the contrary, it shall be a winner-with-all because I shall make a deliberate attempt to win the trust of all Nigerians.
“When we create an atmosphere that makes all Nigerians take ownership of government and governance, the drive to achieve national unity becomes easier, and with our unity restored, it becomes easier to approach the other challenges of security, economy, education, and devolution of powers.”
We Will Feed Your Children, Tinubu Assures Nigerians
APC’s Asiwaju Tinubu has assured parents that if elected president in 2023, there would be enough food for their children.
He said, “We seek a Nigerian where no parent is compelled to send a child to bed hungry, worried whether tomorrow shall bring food. We assure you that there will be plenty of food to feed your children.
“We will make affordable health care, education and housing accessible for all and, importantly, we’ll lead and deliver bold and assertive security measures to enable a strong, yet adaptive national security architecture that will obliterate kidnapping, banditry and violent crimes from the face of our nation”.
We Will Fight Insecurity With Technology – Kwankwaso
NNPP presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, said if elected into office, his administration would deploy technology to fight insecurity.
He said, “As it stands today, we have more issues of security, even in other parts of the country, especially in the northwest and even northeast. That’s why we are increasing the number of the military and that’s why we are going to provide special training, special equipment, relevant technology and so on to fight the situation, the insecurity of 2023 and upwards.
“And we believe that Nigeria has the numbers; they have the capacity and are determined to ensure peace in this country and that’s exactly what we’ll do.”
At the event, the United States government, Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, and other eminent Nigerians renewed their call for free, fair and credible conduct of the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, said the United States has confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct elections that will reflect the will of the people in peaceful process..
The ambassador added that the US government would not favour any candidate but supports credible and transparent elections.
According to Leonard, 2023 offers the opportunity for Nigeria to claim its place as the democratic leader in Africa, to consolidate the foundation of democracy and legitimate transfer of power.
The dialogue, which interrogated the 2023 presidential agenda, presented eminent Nigerians with an opportunity to dissect presidential candidates’ manifestos.
Cardinal Onaiyekan said free, fair and credible elections remain the only way from which will emerge – at all levels of government – men and women ready to serve the nation with dedication, sincerity, honesty and integrity.
Speaking at the dialogue, director of publicity and advocacy of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said Nigerians will not accept any leadership unless it is democratically elected under free, fair and credible elections.
