Former vice-president and PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has explained why his former boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo changed his mind on the claim that he (Atiku Abubakar) was bereft of credibility.
The former president in his book, My Watch had described Alhaji Abubakar in very uncomplimentary terms.
But taking the questions from the audience last night in a live NTA monitored programme, The Candidates, the PDP presidential candidate said his former boss must have compared him with the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari and formed a judgment that he was better.
He declared that he was the most investigated politician under the administration of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, but nothing incriminating was found against him.
” You must know that nobody has been investigated by Obasanjo more than myself. If Obasanjo couldn’t find me guilty of any wrongdoing, then I don’t think those statements stand.
” If I was the most investigated politician or public officer and I wasn’t found wanting, then it is up to people to believe what has been said or not.
Atiku Abubakar said his leadership would revive the economy, and stimulate growth through job creation.
“This country deserves leadership that is pro-business, a pro-private sector so that we can get out of this mess that we have found ourselves, where over 21 million young men and women are unemployed! We have never found it so bad in this country.”
Speaking further on job creation, the PDP candidate said himself and his running mate, Peter Obi have made a success of their individual private lives.
” We have more people in the poverty bracket during the APC administration than we have in PDP. The middle class is completely eliminated. You need to address that before you uplift the ones at the bottom because it doesn’t just happen like that.”
The PDP presidential candidate promised that to stimulate job creation, he would revive the agricultural sector.
“One of the ways to create job is agriculture. Our agriculture policy is aimed at helping the farmers to be more commercially oriented. Where they cannot, we have a system whereby they will be supported and assisted. ”
The PDP Vice Presidential candidate in his own contribution noted that ” the easiest way to create job is to empower your micro and medium businesses. They are the greatest employers, anywhere in the world.
“We are the poverty capital of the world but I believe under the PDP government of Atiku Abubakar, we shall see a reduction in that position. “
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