By Dwelleth Morountodun
The PDP Presidential Candidate in the 2019 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on Monday pledged to chart Nigeria away
from its status of extreme poverty headquarters of the world to the world headquarters of hope thereby lifting the people out of poverty.
In his new message made available to the media through a signed statement, he said Nigeria can become the world headquarters for hope and extreme devotion to the cause of lifting its people out of poverty.
He said: “2019 is as yet a blank page. As a nation, we must not settle for whatever it brings. Rather, we must take collective action, through our choices, in making it a year where we revive national hope, with visionary leadership that sees our economy and institutions working again as they did in our golden era.”
He said Nigerians can live in peace and prosperity with their neighbor, stressing that 2019 can be the year when our youths finally get a job instead of being unfairly tagged as lazy.
With purposeful leadership, it can also be the year when we put an end to terrorism and usher in a golden age of peace, he added.
Atiku said such transformation cannot just happen by itself, as according to him: “We have to make changes from the top all the way to the bottom. We already have the vision, the vision of a nation that is a beacon of hope for the Black Race and the world at large, what we lack and what 2019 can provide, is the leadership that has the capacity to translate that vision into reality.
“In 2019, Nigerians need a leadership that is 100% for 100% of Nigerians, 100% of the time. We have seen where division and sectionalism has led us to. Now let us try unity and patriotism.
The presidential candidate urged Nigerians not to lose heart and hope, adding: Nigeria is no stranger to overcoming difficulties. In fact, we have an uncanny ability to perform our best when the worst is upon us. I urge my fellow countrymen and women to remember how we became the first nation in the world to defeat and overcome the Wild Ebola Virus, when even First World nations were struggling with the scourge, he said.
“That resilience is domiciled in our national psyche and together we shall win forever. We shall win over forces of disunity. We shall win over forces of poverty and backwardness.
“But more importantly, in 2019, I want Nigerians to know that it is possible to have a leadership that is compassionate and that this does not equate to weakness. A leadership that is bold but not domineering. A leadership that is intelligent, but not arrogant.
“Indeed, that is the only type of leadership that can navigate the difficulties currently facing our dear nation and lead us to Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress, which are our national motto and which are the hope of all Nigerians.” Atiku said.