Former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to boost the nation’s economic fortunes by making it Africa’s top recipient of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
In a press statement he personally signed on Wednesday, Atiku regretted that Nigeria has been overtaken by Ghana in the regional bloc of the continent.
He, therefore, vowed to restore jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the country if elected President in the presidential election on February 16.
“It is with a very heavy heart that I received the news that the Republic of Ghana has overtaken our dear nation as West Africa’s largest recipient of foreign direct investment.
“Therefore, I solemnly declare to Nigerians, that if I am elected President on February 16, 2019, I will be Nigeria’s Chief Marketing Officer, and will never speak ill of our economy, our polity and our youths. My utterances, both at home and abroad, will be used to lift Nigeria’s economy because Atiku means JOBS.
“I believe in JOBS – Jobs, Opportunity, Being United and Security and it is time to get Nigeria Working Again,” he stated.
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Atiku recalled that when the PDP governed the nation, especially during his eight-year tenure as Vice President, the country set a pace for Africa in terms of FDI.
According to him, Africa’s most populous nation became the investment hub in the continent under the leadership of his party.
The former Vice President criticised the current administration for not focusing on the nation’s economic challenges.
He further accused the Federal Government of arresting perceived opponents, including some legislators and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
Atiku believes that the situation has led to the nation’s economy deteriorating by becoming the world’s headquarters of poverty.
“Sadly, this unfortunate economic indicator has escaped the attention of the current administration, who are more interested in hounding real and imagined opponents, like the Chief Justice of Nigeria and many legislators, than in addressing the rapid economic decline Nigeria is witnessing under their watch.
“It is of particular importance to understand why Nigeria has become an economic pariah under the present administration leading to us becoming the world headquarters for extreme poverty. When you have a leader who habitually travels abroad to de-market his own nation and its economy, things like this are bound to happen.
“It is further exacerbated when that same leader stubbornly blames his predecessors for problems he caused, while at the same time taking credit for achievements and progress initiated and delivered by those same leaders, he makes a habit of denigrating,” he added.
