2023: I have no grass go grace story — Saraki

Former President of the Senate and presidential aspirant in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bukola Saraki, has told Nigerians that he has no grass to grace story but is equipped with the habit of giving to uplift the less privileged.

Speaking at a media parley in Abuja on Thursday,  he observed that in the past few years, Nigeria had gone from what it used to be, noting that the 2023 election presents the chance to rediscover it,

move ahead as one people, as one nation, towards fulfilling its destiny as the greatest black nation on the face of the earth.

According to him, some things have happened in the country in the last couple of years that no one could have imagined possible only less than a decade ago.

He pointed out that while there are reasons to be worried about the future of this country, it is not the time to surrender and wallow in despair, but for all patriots and citizens of goodwill to show courage, rise above those lines of divisions and ask: “where do we go from here?”

Saraki said: “I do not have a grass to grace story to tell. Some may even consider me privileged. But I never take my privileges for granted. I learnt as a young boy growing up under the watchful guidance of a father who loved this country so dearly that to whom much is given, much is expected.

“Therefore, I can say that even the privileges of my childhood were easily matched by a dominant culture of giving, created by a father whose politics was defined by a deep commitment to helping and uplifting others. I learnt from him that life is truly worth living only when it is lived in the service of something that is bigger than yourself.”

Recalling his days as Kwara State governor, he outlined his achievements in office, saying that even though he did not solve all the problems in eight years, he left the state better than he met it.

“As a Senator, I was able to rise above ruinous partisanship and challenged the massive scam perpetrated under the cover of fuel subsidy. As Senate President, I defended the integrity of the National Assembly, sometimes, at great personal cost. And even in the face of daunting challenges and conspiracies, we passed important legislation to make legitimate business easier in our country, and to support enterprise.”

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“In all the positions that I have had the good fortune to occupy, I have been driven by the deep conviction to serve, to help, to proffer solutions and to leave behind a legacy of courage, of hard work and of unyielding commitment to making a difference,” Saraki added.

He said everything must be done to save the country, noting: “In our lifetime, we have seen a Nigeria where everyone, rich or poor, was guaranteed education just by merely attending a school.

“In our lifetime, we have witnessed a Nigeria where children could wander far away from home, for as long as they wanted, and were sure to return in the evening.

“In our lifetime, we have witnessed a Nigeria where one could drive from Lagos in the night and arrive Maiduguri in the morning, without fear or misfortune.

“In our lifetime, we have witnessed a Nigeria, where a Fulani man, would arrive Enugu as a cattle trader and ended up as elected mayor of the city.

“In our lifetime, we have witnessed a Nigeria where everyone was guaranteed a minimum standard of living, where the middle class thrived, where jobs were available and predictable, where crimes were punished, where the civil service was efficient, where public utilities worked, and where Nigeria was the pride of every black man anywhere in the world.

“Where has this our Nigeria gone? How can we rediscover it and make it even greater for our children and for generations yet unborn? This is the reason I am running. I want to be President because I believe that this Nigeria is still possible in our lifetime.”

The former governor assured that if elected, he would come into office prepared with clearly thought-out plans while working with the best brains in the country.

Saraki also addressed questions over what he could do differently if he becomes president, among which is that he would raise the coverage of health insurance from its present 7% to 50% in two years and deliver 500,000 low-income housing for Nigerians.

He stated: “I will arrive in the office with a well-thought-out plan of my own; I will implement my plans with courage and conviction, and I will work every single day as if it would be my last.”

He explained his priorities if he takes office as president: “However, as long as there is a child in Nigeria that cannot read or write, then the job is not done. And it is for this one child that I want to run for President, because I will ensure that the law on compulsory basic education is enforced and quality of teaching improves in all public schools.

“As long as there is an old woman in this country who cannot afford her prescription drugs for diabetes or malaria because she has no insurance coverage, the job is not done. And it is for this woman that I want to run for President because I will ensure that people like her are covered; and that we are able to push our compulsory health insurance coverage from the current 7 per cent to 50 per cent in the first two years.

“As long as a single village or forest in this country is controlled by terrorists, or bandits or any other criminal groups; as long as any of our citizens lives in fear; as long as our soldiers and other security agents do not get the right training, the right equipment and the right incentives, the job is not done. And it is for these citizens that I want to be President, because I will do everything to protect the lives and properties of every Nigerian and everyone that lives within our borders. I will ensure that all our men and women in uniform are well-trained, are well-paid and are well-equipped.

“As long as crude oil revenue remains the mainstay of our economy, and we remain so vulnerable to the volatility of international oil market, then the job is not done. And this is why I want to be President, because I will raise the revenue from the non-oil sectors to the same level as we currently earn from oil.

“As long as there are still people in this country who believe that they can break the laws of Nigeria with impunity; who think that crime has no consequences, then the job is not done. And this is why I want to be President, because I will ensure strict compliance with the rule of law and guarantee consequences for crime.

“As long as we still import tilers, plumbers and electricians from neighbouring countries, then the job is not done. And this is why I want to be President, because I will collaborate with the industries, and train one million of our youths in technical and vocational skills each year.

“As long as 65 million of our citizens still live in slum conditions in our cities and urban centres, then the job is not done. And this is why I want to be President because I will deliver half a million affordable housing units every year to our low-income earners and eliminate urban slums.

“As long as Nigeria is not the tech hub for Africa, despite our incredible talents in this area, then our job is not done. And this is why I want to be President because I will invest massively in skills in cloud computing, data analytics, programming and other such in-demand skills to drive innovation and competitiveness among our youths.

“As long as our huge army of talented youths do not think that the Nigerian government can support their dreams, whether in entertainment, fashion or other creative business, the job is not done. And it is for these talented Nigerians that I want to be President because I will create the Nigeria Creative Industry Initiatives to protect our leadership position on the African continent and position us to be global leader in the cultural productions economy.

“As long as our university lecturers still have reasons to embark on strike actions; as long our universities still rank outside the top 1000 in the world, then our job is not done. And this is why I want to be President, because I will ensure that our universities and higher education institutions are competitive and well-funded, adopting models and approaches that have served the most successful higher education systems in the world.

“As long as some of our best and brightest brains still relocate to other countries to find fulfilment, then our job is not done. And this is why I want to be President because I will develop targeted incentives to reverse the brain drain and keep our professionals in the country.”

Saraki averred that he would be President for all because “I represent a Nigerian identity that is truly diverse, truly inclusive and truly Nigerian.

“I will be the bridge between the private sector and the public sector. I will be the bridge between Muslims and Christians. I will be the bridge between the North and the South because I am a Nigerian for all Nigerians.”

Speaking earlier, the Director-General of the Saraki Campaign Organization, Prof. Iorwuse Hagher, observed that there is hunger and anger everywhere in the country.

He said Nigerians are craving for change, saying that Saraki is the only one among aspirants that is a driver for change.