The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Monday criticised one of his main contenders, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, for playing the ethnic card ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Tinubu while speaking at an interactive session with the Arewa Joint Committee which was held at the Arewa House, Kaduna, on Monday, also called out Atiku to endorse him as a payback for the favour he offered in 2007.
It would be recalled that during the build-up to the 2007 presidential election, Atiku pitched his political tent with Tinubu under the platform of the now defunct Action Congress (AC). The duo worked together during the 2007 presidential election, but were defeated by the late former president Umar Yaradua.
Speaking in Kaduna, Tinubu told Atiku to reciprocate his “gesture” in 2007, by withdrawing his ambition.
Tinubu said, “You (apparently referring to Atiku) started from Uyo and now ended up in Kaduna and you are speaking to the North that you are the right candidate for the North; how do we reconcile that? You have lost the election.
“It’s payback time. Let Atiku endorse me instead of campaigning in Kaduna. I supported him in 2007,” he added.
Speaking further, Tinubu shared his blueprint for Nigeria’s development if elected into power in 2023. The presidential candidate said his administration would capitalise on the numerous resources of the north to harness greater economic development.
He specified that he would focus on tackling under-investment and effective management.
He continued, “Our economic plan would utilize the vast natural resources we have, through strategic investment in infrastructure which will lead to the diversification of the economy and wealth creation across the entire country. We will pay attention to modern economic drivers such as the digital economy, creative industries, sports and entertainment sectors for the benefit of our young people.
“The APC federal government has taken several measures to build infrastructure and improve the ease of doing business across the country. This has been complemented by the efforts of some of our states to attract investments in diverse sectors of the economy.
“Under my leadership, the Nigerian government will be business-friendly. We shall support private businesses in our country and attract foreign direct investment to create jobs, re-industrialise our country and accelerate economic development. Nigerian businesses in sectors like banking and cement have successfully ventured out of the country to build thriving subsidiaries. We will build a strong domestic economy, expand the capacity of our domestic market to support growth and encourage export capacity in the areas of our competitive advantage. We have the endowments to be a prosperous country. I will lead a renewed push to move us from the status of a nation of potential into a country of actual accomplishments as an economic dynamo.”
