Senate President Bukola Presidential Declaration.
Saraki declares to run for president
By EReporter
By EReporter
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has officially declared to run for the president of Nigeria come 2019 election.
Saraki made his intention known during
a dialogue with Youth and Young aspirants, held at Sheraton hotel, Abuja, on
Thursday, august 30, 2018. According to him, he possesses a blend of executive
and legislative experience being a former governor of a state in Nigeria and
now, the Senate President. Saraki said, as such, he has all it takes to “push
for and implement reforms that will deliver real improvements in the daily
lives of our people. I know what it takes to create jobs and grow the economy.
I can make the tough decisions when it matters.
I will spearhead a new agenda that can
transform the lives of ordinary Nigerians in real terms.” Saraki said it will
not be business as usual because his government will, if elected as president,
“be a dynamic government of action that will pursue the growth of Nigeria with
doggedness, determination and conviction.” Saraki also said that he will lead a
result-driven administration that will set targets “with clear timelines to
ensure that anticipated deliverables are met.” Saraki said he will deliver on
all promises driven by what is best for Nigerians.
The full speech reds thus:
“Let me say, once again, how wonderful
it is to see so many talented and purposeful young people at this first edition
of the Public Dialogue Series with Political Parties on Youth Candidacy and
Party Primaries. Looking at you, I see future leaders who present themselves as
capable and worthy to take on the mantle of leadership in this country, and
this gladdens my heart. From my interactions with many of you, and with your contemporaries
across the country, I can see that we are blessed with a determined generation
that stands ready to join with us to power a Nigerian renaissance. The quality
of people I see here today affirms my belief that, indeed, you are Not Too
Young To Run. I deeply appreciate this opportunity to share some of my ideas
about where we are as a nation, as well as the challenges before us as we
approach the great decider that is the 2019 General Elections. It is widely
acknowledged that ours is a relatively ‘young’ country bursting with tremendous
energy, ability and potential. More than 70 per cent of our population is under
the age of 40. You are indeed the future of this country. Ordinarily, such a
young population would be the envy of many Western countries that are faced
with ageing populations, but the dire state of our affairs tarnishes the
youthful advantage that we have. Up and down our country today, Nigerians are
crying out for succour.
Many of our children are hungry. Many
people are dying of avoidable or otherwise treatable diseases. Many have fallen
below basic living standards, and are now among the 87 million that sealed
Nigeria’s position as the country with the highest number of people in extreme
poverty. Our young people lack opportunities. The necessary education
facilities and system to equip them for the future simply do not exist. We are
not creating the jobs needed to usefully engage them in order to grow our
economy. And too often, the youth feel shut out, prevented from having any say
in the direction of this nation. The harsh conditions of extreme poverty faced
by the people, fuels the state of insecurity all over the country. Hunger, lack
of education and lack of opportunities push many Nigerians into criminal
activities including terrorism.
Many of our communities are paralysed
with fear – due to incessant communal crises, kidnappings and other social
ills, as well as the threat of terrorism. We are failing abysmally to tackle
the problems of today and to prepare for the future. Our economy is broken and
is in need of urgent revival in order for Nigeria to grow. GDP growth rate has
declined. Diversification remains an illusion. Unemployment is at an all-time
high. Businesses are shutting down. Jobs are being lost in record numbers, and
the capital needed to jumpstart our economy is going elsewhere. Nigeria is
perhaps more divided now than ever before. We are increasingly divided along
regional, religious and ethnic lines.
Nigerians are also divided by class, a
festering gulf between the ‘Haves’ and the ‘Have-Nots’. The fault lines of this
nation are widening to an alarming degree. We must do something fast, and we
must be brave about it. We must ensure the security of lives in Nigeria. As
things stand now, no one is safe in this country. No one feels truly safe. We
must restore the sanctity of the rule of law and strengthen democratic
institutions in order to build a just, fair and equitable society for all. We
must rebuild the trust of our people in government. We need a new generation of
leaders that are competent, with the capability to rise to the challenges of
the 21st century.
We must pull this country back together
and rebuild, block by block, with dedication and commitment. You will agree
with me that this is an urgent task that requires the concerted efforts of each
and every one of us. If we look around today, what do we see? What is the
condition of our citizens? Where are we as a nation? How are we perceived
locally and internationally? Why are we not making the expected progress? Why
are we not growing? There is no time to waste. The time is now, to come
together to stimulate growth in Nigeria, especially in the national economy.
The choice we face in the forthcoming election is either to keep things as they
are, or make a radical departure from the old ways. To find a better way of
doing things or keep repeating the mistakes of the past.
To fix the problems or keep compounding
them. It is with all these in mind, and taking account of the challenges that I
have outlined, that I have decided to answer the call of teeming youth who have
asked me to run for President. Accordingly, I hereby announce my intention to
run for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the
coming General Elections in 2019 on the platform of the People’s Democratic
Party (PDP). I do so with the firm conviction that I have what it takes to
secure inclusive growth for Nigeria and Nigerians. My Plan for Nigeria has
inclusion in all aspects of the country’s affairs as a central pillar. Every
citizen has the inalienable right to feel a sense of belonging, no matter their
background or creed, or what part of the country they come from. No matter who
you voted for or what your convictions are, government must work for you. Your
generation does not deserve to live in the poverty capital of the world. It is
no longer an issue of how we got here, but how do we get out of this situation?
I promise you that I will lead the fight and employ every God-given resource
available to us in turning things around.
I am determined to grow Nigeria out of
poverty. We will stimulate the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as
one of the ways of energising the economy and to create wealth for our people,
especially the youth. I want to see the youth play major roles at all levels,
not only in government but also in the private sector and indeed in every area
of Nigerian life. This will be a government driven by youthful energy,
innovation and a pioneering entrepreneurial spirit. Nigerian youth will be given
all the opportunities to realise their potential to the full within a national
framework that guarantees inclusiveness. For youth who have ideas and capacity,
we will make sure that there is funding for their ventures; and we shall build
on the Made in Nigeria legislation as part of our job creation drive. My plan
is to secure Nigeria by redesigning our national security architecture, while
adequately equipping our security agencies to fulfil their primary role of
protecting lives and property.
I will address our infrastructural
deficit through aggressive financing initiatives including mutually beneficial
PPP arrangements, regular floating of bonds and other financial instruments,
which will ensure stable, adequate and reliable funding to see to the completion
of core projects especially road, rail and power. My plan is to protect all
Nigerians and defend their constitutional rights and freedoms. I will stand for
and uphold at all times the principle of the rule of law, which is the bedrock
of democratic governance. Ours will not be a selective fight against
corruption. The emphasis will be on strengthening institutions, with a
particular focus on deterrence.
We cannot afford to compromise our
institutions with proxy wars against perceived political opponents. We see the
fight against corruption as crucial to Nigeria’s economic development. I offer
leadership driven by empathy. Where leaders are responsive to the citizens.
Where they know that government cares. We will not be indifferent or turn a
blind eye to the real concerns of our people. Every single Nigerian life
matters. For me, the leadership we deserve is one that will be a source of
pride to all Nigerians, one that will be respected and admired in Africa and
around the world. It should be a leadership that can hold its own and stand
tall anywhere in the world. That is the type of leadership I offer.
As a former two-term Governor and
currently President of the Senate by the grace of God, I believe I possess a
unique blend of executive and legislative experience to push for and implement
reforms that will deliver real improvements in the daily lives of our people. I
know what it takes to create jobs and grow the economy. I can make the tough
decisions when it matters. I will spearhead a new agenda that can transform the
lives of ordinary Nigerians in real terms. Believe me when I say that it will
not be business as usual. This will be a dynamic government of action that will
pursue the growth of Nigeria with doggedness, determination and conviction. I will
lead a result-driven administration. We shall set targets with clear timelines
to ensure that anticipated deliverables are met. You can benchmark us and hold
us accountable.
I therefore ask you and all well-meaning Nigerians to join hands with me in this noble cause.
My brothers, My sisters, Let’s Grow Nigeria Together. God bless you all. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he concluded.
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