Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for president, lambasted his challenger from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday and urged Nigerians not to be duped into supporting him. A vote for PDP, according to Tinubu, would be a mistake that would be hard to undo.
At a gathering for his party’s presidential campaign in Ilorin, the APC’s presidential candidate spoke. He claimed that a number of indicators suggested that Atiku was merely running for president to benefit himself and his associates.
Like in the past, Atiku, according to Tinubu, will simply sell Nigeria to his shady buddies in the pretext of privatization if given the chance.
He said, “You earned a favourable and great place in the history of our progressive party and of the nation when you voted for the APC to chase the PDP out of this beautiful and historic town. You kicked them out and now they want to come back. Do not let them back in. They only want to devour what they could not take the first time. If you give them the chance, they will strip Kwara and Nigeria bare to the bone.
“The PDP candidate in the race is well known for selling everything that has the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s name on it. If it is part of the public treasure or national patrimony, he is looking to pawn it to one of his shady partners. He wants to sell off your chance at a decent job, good schools, a nice home and a happy life. His aim is to sell and turn our public assets into his private profit. He wants you to go hungry so that he can feast off the abundance of the land.”
Tinubu also spoke on the recent revelation by one of Atiku’s former aides, Michael Achimugu, where the former vice president himself admitted to setting up Special Purpose Vehicle companies to siphon the country’s funds.
Tinubu alleged, “Before today, we used to call him Mr. Privatise. But today, we must give him a new name. One that comes from his own mouth. He is now Mr. SPV. From his own mouth, we have heard him admit that he and his old boss conspired to rob from the Nigerian treasury millions upon millions of dollars. They did this by using a fancy business device called an SPV, Special purpose vehicle, to hide the money.
“By his antics, Atiku has changed the meaning of SPV. It is no longer a business unit. With him, it is a money-eating monster. From henceforth, Atiku shall be known as MR. SPV. S for Stealing, P for Plunder and V for Vicious. For this is a vicious assault on the public funds, public welfare and on the public conscience.
“How can he so brazenly steal and plunder yet ask you to return him to the scene of the crime. He wants to return to the crime scene not to repent but to repeat the ‘Stealing Plundering and Viciousness’. You must stop him before he stops your dreams and aspirations for a better Nigeria.”
Tinubu said APC, just like it had done in the about eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, had shown that it meant well for the country and its citizens.
He said, “Instead, the APC has a much better way for you. We have good and positive plans for this country. If you give us the mandate with your vote, we will carry Kwara and the rest of the country to a more prosperous and secure future.”
He promised to take advantage of the agricultural resources in abundance in Kwara to transform the state for the creation of jobs and welfare of the citizens.
On education, Tinubu said, “We will prioritise education as a tool for empowerment. It is not just about producing more and more graduates. We will improve the quality of our education to make our youths more productive and will reform education such that our able and energetic young people are given the skills and knowledge needed to fill the jobs and compete in the economy of the future.”
He hinted at his plans to ensure that the country was secure and conducive for everyone to move around unhindered and without fear.
“We will secure our nation and our borders through recruiting and deploying more security personnel, improving the communications, equipment and training of our personnel as well as using top shelf technology to improve ground and aerial surveillance,” he said.
