The Senate president, Alhaji Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has lamented that the unity the founding fathers propagated is on the verge of collapse while the country is drifting into anarchy following the division in the country.
The Senate president said this in Ebonyi State while seeking for support from Ebonyians in his ambition to join in the presidential race under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP come 2019 general election.
According to the Senator who said he kicked off his presidential campaign in Ebonyi State, said it was based on the developmental agenda of the present administration and leadership prowess and Governor Umahi’s quest for inclusiveness in governance.
Saraki further decried the lack of inclusion, challenges of freedom, injustice, ability to express constitutional rights that have all been challenged and said no country will grow without that sense of belonging and togetherness. He urged Nigerians to select the best candidate that will represent the country with the leadership capacity.
“Today is the day I kickoff my campaign in this country and the decision was made to start in the south-east and the decision was made to start in Ebonyi State. That decision was taken in recognition of the leadership, the capacity, integrity of your performing Governor. Today, Ebonyians are showing their support to you by coming together from the National Assembly, members of the cabinet and all the leaders to come together to say you have performed, you have done well, you are a performing Governor, on this we say come back for the next four years.
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“I say, when a good thing is going to happen, good things happen at the same time. This same day you people have endorsed your governor and know you will also endorse your presidential candidate. Today, in Nigeria, we are in a very important time to make important decisions to decide the fate of this country. We all know that this country is very divided today we all know that the security challenges facing this country.
“We also know the lack of inclusion, we all know the challenges of freedom, injustice, ability to express constitutional rights have all been challenged. For those of us over the years that have fought for the right of our people which we have done in support of our brothers from Ebonyi State in PDP for the support they have given me in the Senate through the help of Ebonyi State governor.
“We must provide the leadership that will fight poverty that now exists in our country which all over the world Nigeria is the has the highest population with people in Poverty.
“We must at this time ask ourselves where do we go next. How do we get there, who can take us there? Because it is not about personal ambition now is the ambition of this entire nation. 70 per cent of our population is under the age of 40, young able men, boys and girls, who are looking for leadership that have the capacity, ability, because you cannot give what you do not have.
“Today, in this country, we are at a crossroad and we need leadership that will provide for these teeming youths who are seeking for employment and opportunities. We must create that environment and the only way to do that is for us to have leadership that has the capacity.
“I have been a Senator and we have shown every resemblance of Nigeria. We have shown that whatever that comes in this country you will have a say, you will belong regardless of your state because the country will belong to all of us.
“No country will grow without that sense of belonging, no country will grow unless we come together and we believe that whosoever that will lead us will represent all of us no country will grow without the leadership capacity.
“There is a high level of uninclusisivness in the country. We must choose leaders that have the capacity to move the country forward. What you are seeing in Ebonyi is not by chance, it is because your governor has the capacity that is why you are witnessing development. How then can you choose a man with capacity in your state without choosing also a leader with capacity at the national level?
“We fight poverty, we will fight corruption too and not do a selective corruption fight. We will develop solid minerals in Ebonyi State. We will bring private investors into the country and turn around youth involvement in governance by bringing youths to governance. We need leaders that have the capacity and interest of Nigeria.”
Responding, Governor David Umahi, who was presented with the governorship nomination form purchased by the members of the State Executive Council, described Senator Saraki as a refined Nigerian and defender of democracy as well as a friend to Ebonyi State.
Governor Umahi reiterated his earlier promise to return power to Abakaliki bloc in 2023 after his second term, adding that his administration remains focused on the developmental agenda.
“We will hand over a state that is most beautiful, best economy and richest in the country.”
He commended Saraki for standing firm over the various crises and urged that the National Assembly must work together to unite the country and turn its fortunes to the best.
He called on the Senate President to look into the cost of projects in the country to stop profligacy in execution of projects in the country.
However, Umahi maintained that the South East will be ready to support anyone who will be ready to recognise the rights and needs of the people of the above by way of negotiation.
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