The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, as well as his counterpart from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, were nowhere to be found during the Arise tv Presidential Town Hall Series on Security and Economy, in Abuja.
Labour Party candidate Peter Obi; the New Nigerian Peoples Party, Musa Kwankwaso and Kola Abiola of Peoples Redemption Party squared up event in Abuja on Sunday, October 6.
While Atiku of the PDP was represented by his running mate, Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Tinubu of the APC sent no representative.
The LP, NNPP and PRP supporters were unimpressed that Okowa appeared to represent Atiku as they claimed that the event was solely for presidential candidates only.
Shouting “No representation by proxy,” the supporters prevented the programme from kicking off on time as the organizers sought to pacify them.
In his remarks, Okowa beaconed on Atiku’s plans:
“We need to emphasise coordinated intelligence gathering and sharing. We need more boots on the ground to address insecurity in Nigeria. We need to evolve policing in Nigeria to ensure that people who have a better understanding of their areas, know how to secure their areas. One centralized police force is unable to meet the demands that we have.
“We need more boots on the ground. We need adequate welfare to ensure that our security agencies are better-taken care of. We also need to address unemployment, otherwise, more young people will be drawn to contribute to the insecurity. Technically, it is very important but the equipment is few. The men in boots must be well trained and paid.”
Okowas added that the private sector will be a major stakeholder if the PDP wins the 2023 presidential elections, adding that his principal would unite and lead the country on the path of development with the support of the private sector.
He added:
“Atiku is a successful businessman and a person who runs very successful academic institutions. We have a document, ‘My covenant with Nigeria,’ a common document on behalf of himself, myself and the PDP.
“The private sector has a role to play. To make progress, we must talk about the unity of this country. Until we are able to unite ourselves and realize that we must think and work together, we may not be able to go through the path that will lead us to new growth.”
Labour Party
Peter Obi placed emphasis on insecurity around the country as he stated that President Buhari’s response to kidnap incidents is weak.
The former Anambra State governor stated that he would also have a thought-out process and show empathy to the families of the victims.
He added via Punch:
“There was a failure of processing and giving due attention to intelligence which I would have given due intelligence and promptly dealt with. Government action and communication were weak. And I think that shows the overall need for us to improve our intelligence processing and give an immediate response, whenever such a situation arises.”
He further stated that insecurity would have been reduced to the barest minimum if more people were taken out of poverty.
NNPP
The former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwakwanso disclosed that he is unimpressed with the mode of governance in the country.
He claimed that it is because of those reasons that some of Nigerians are angry to the extent of leaving the PDP and the APC because they feel there are better ways of doing things in this country.
He added:
“We believe the system has failed and that is why we have decided to go to New Nigeria Peoples Party, the unscathed party in this country.”
Obasanjo refutes Gbajabiamila’s claims over Tinubu’s visit
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disputed a discussion he had with the 2023 presidential flag bearer of the ruling All-Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, during their recent meeting.
Meanwhile, NigeriaNewsAbroad recalls that Asiwaju and some of his allies visited Obasanjo at his residence in Abeokuta.
Although the duo had kept mum over what played out at the meeting, it is speculated to be connected to the 2023 presidential election.