Presidential Candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Tuesday in Lagos met with business leaders, investors and captains of industry across various sectors to present his economic agenda for the country, ahead of the 2023 polls.
The event, an interactive session with industrialists, business executives, entrepreneurs and foreign investors, was held at the Eko Hotels and Suites in Victoria Island and was organised at the instance of the Lagos State government.
Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; foremost entrepreneur and investor, Tony Elumelu, and founder of Zenith Bank, Mr Jim Ovia, led the pack of business leaders that graced the event, which was also attended by Tinubu’s running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, APC governors and party stalwarts.
Speaking at the event, the APC presidential candidate, Tinubu said the 2023 presidential election presented another opportunity for Nigeria, which, he said, stands at the threshold between indifference and greatness.
The party’s flag bearer, who is also a former governor of Lagos, said the cardinal programmes of his economic policies would not be limited to the sole domain of one sector, noting that the benefits would be reaped in the cooperation between government and the private sector.
According to him, the private sector and the government should constantly be at war. Still, they must not wage the battle as enemies, saying that the government and business community must stand as inseparable allies to combat common enemies of scarcity, underdevelopment, joblessness and the fear they brought to the polity.
He assured that said his administration would be targeting double-digit GDP for the country to reduce the poverty rate and revive industries by bringing the nation’s industrial policy to life.
“I share a few ideas that provide some insight into my vision for a more prosperous and secure nation where hope is renewed and despair rebuffed. All Nigerians must be partners in our better future. We must maintain the spirit of respectful and productive dialogue. At times what I say may help you. Other times, what you say may enlighten me. We must always talk and confer with the best of intentions. Just as I maintain an open-door policy before the election, I shall continue to honour it after the election.
“We shall not be satisfied by bolstering traditional sectors. We will foster productive excellence in new areas, such as manufacturing and the Nollywood entertainment sector. Through active participation in the digital economy, we shall make Nigeria a leader, instead of a bystander, in the fourth industrial revolution. We will seek a consumer credit revolution, working in concert with the banking sector. Credit at affordable rates enables the purchase of more homemade products and the construction of more homes. The standard of living shall rise and the strength of the business sector shall increase in similar measure,” he said.
Speaking further, Tinubu said his experience in both the private sectors and public office afforded him a special appreciation of the economic potency that could be achieved by leveraging collaboration between the government and the business community.
The party chieftain said Lagos was the appropriate location for the private sector engagement as, according to him, the State’s economic growth had become his visible experiment that could support his claim of competency and ability.
“We turned this Lagos into a safer, more prosperous place where people can go about any legitimate vocation or venture regardless of their ethnicity, religion, region or prior social station. We did more than open Lagos for business. We opened the door for all Nigerians to join and experience the decent things progressive democratic governance can bring.
“May I remind you that when I first entered the office, Lagos was a different story? My team and I developed a development master plan for Lagos. I can say that plan has been largely successful. The pragmatic problem-solving and teamwork that has improved the fortunes of Lagos, is what I want to bring to the nation. I ask for your help as the task ahead is doable but also difficult,” the APC flag bearer stated.
Vice Presidential Candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Kassim Shettima, in his own remark, expressed the strong commitment of the ticket if voted into power in 2023 to partner with the private sector to develop the country’s infrastructure, increase power generation to about 20,000mgwtts, among others.
Shettima, who said it was an honour for him to work side by side with Asiwaju Tinubu, in order to achieve the APC Presidential Candidate’s dream for the country, declared that the time had come for Nigerians to manufacture what they consumed, even as he projected that the APC administration under them would achieve a double-digit GDP growth for the country in the next two years.
According to the party’s vice presidential candidate, the Tinubu- led government would focus on agriculture, and increase the quality of life of Nigerians, just as he also said the focus would be directed on quality education to achieve the same aim.
Besides, he promised that the oil and gas sector of the country would be reformed.
“The time has come for Nigerians to manufacture what we consume, we need to increase local production.
“We would reform the oil and gas sector of the economy.
“Our focus will be on how to increase our agricultural production and increase the quality of life of Nigerians. We promise quality education because we are sure this would also increase the quality of life of Nigerians,” he said.
In his welcome address, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the APC presidential candidate, Tinubu, had made his mark in the private sector and governance, recalling that he started the engagement with the private sector as far back as the year 2001.
According to him, Ehingbeti, which was among the products of the engagement, led to infrastructural renewal of Lagos under Tinubu as then governor, between 1999 and 2007.
“He has always had regular interaction with the private sector. He is no stranger to your needs and aspirations. He would be able to bring back this private sector trajectory. Here you see a man that is business driven and an intelligent person,” the governor said.
In his own remark, Director-General, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Simon Lalong, applauded Tinubu’s manifesto to transform the country if elected the next president of Nigeria, declaring that the party’s presidential candidate had had his name being mentioned consistently since 1999, based on his contributions to the development of Lagos State.
According to him, Tinubu has been of support to many businessmen and women and had moved many out of poverty.
“He is passionate about bringing the country back on track. Asiwaju is eager to bring about a conducive environment to Nigeria, to let the country flourish,” he said.
In attendance were: Governors Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State, Abubakar Bagudu (Kebi), Malam Nasir El- Rufai (Kaduna), Abdulrahman Abdulrazak (Kwara), among others.
Industry players at the event include Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Albert Wigwu, Mr Tony Elumelu, among others.
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