The leading presidential candidates in the February 26, 2023 elections have revealed what they aim to achieve in their first 100 days in office, if elected.
The candidates are Peter Obi of the Labor Party (LP), Atiku Abubakar of the PDP Democratic People’s Party), Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) and Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
They spoke yesterday at the 20th Daily Trust Dialogue in Abuja.
Obi vows to lead Nigeria by consensus
In his presentation, Obi said that he will lead Nigeria by consensus if he is elected president in 2023.
Obi, speaking 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 security issue is resolved, farmers can return to farming and produce more so that Nigeria can feed itself.
He said: “I will make sure that Nigeria is united. I will rule 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’re sure.
“This is an existential issue that must be addressed head-on and decisively. If you take care of security, you can solve inflation. If you insure the country, you are indirectly dealing with pressing inflation; farmers will come back and produce more and food inflation will go down.”
Atiku: I will reinvent the principle of the government of national unity
In the same vein, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar said the first course his administration will take is to reinvent the principle of national unity government, which will make his administration address the peculiar upheavals of Nigerians.
He said: “For me, therefore, the upcoming election is not a winner-take-all exercise; on the contrary, it will be a winner all in all because I will make a deliberate attempt to win the trust of all Nigerians.
“When we create an atmosphere where government and governance are owned by all Nigerians, the drive to achieve national unity becomes easier, and with our unity restored, it becomes easier to address the other challenges of security, economy, education and devolution of powers.”
We will feed their children, Tinubu assures Nigerians
APC’s Asiwaju Tinubu has assured parents that if they are elected president in 2023, there will be enough food for their children.
He said: “We are looking for a Nigerian where no parent is forced to send a child to bed hungry, worried if tomorrow will bring food. We assure you that there will be plenty of food to feed your children.
“We will make affordable healthcare, education, and housing accessible to all, and most importantly, we will lead and deliver bold and assertive security measures to enable a strong yet adaptable national security architecture that will eliminate kidnapping, banditry and violent crime in the world. face of our nation.
We will fight insecurity with technology – Kwankwaso
NNPP presidential candidate Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso said his administration would deploy technology to combat insecurity if elected.
He said: “As it stands today, we have more security issues, including in other parts of the country, especially in the northwest and even the northeast. That is why we are increasing the number of the military and that is why we are going to provide special training, special equipment, relevant technology, etc., to combat the situation, the insecurity from 2023 onwards.
“And we believe that Nigeria has the numbers; they have the ability and are determined to ensure peace in this country and that is exactly what we will do.”
At the event, the US government, the Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan and other eminent Nigerians renewed their call for a free, fair and credible conduct of the upcoming 2023 general election.
US Ambassador to Nigeria Mary Beth Leonard said the US trusts the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to conduct elections that reflect the will of the people in a peaceful process.
The ambassador added that the US government would not favor any candidate but does support credible and transparent elections.
According to Leonard, 2023 offers the opportunity for Nigeria to reclaim its place as the democratic leader in Africa, to consolidate the foundations of democracy and the legitimate transfer of power.
The dialogue, which questioned the 2023 presidential agenda, gave eminent Nigerians the opportunity to dissect the manifestos of the presidential candidates.
Cardinal Onaiyekan said that free, fair and credible elections remain the only way to emerge, at all levels of government, men and women willing to serve the nation with dedication, sincerity, honesty and integrity.
Speaking at the dialogue, Northern Elderly Forum (NEF) director of publicity and advocacy Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed said Nigerians will not accept any leadership unless it is democratically elected in free, fair and credible elections. .
