Ololade Adeyanju/
All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has re-echoed his message of economic prosperity to Nigerians at his campaign rallies in Anambra and Cross Rivers States.
Speaking in Awka and Calabar, capital of Anambra and Cross Rivers states on Tuesday, Tinubu said his focus as president would be to create jobs for the teeming unemployed people in Nigeria and take prosperity to every parts of the country.
At Calabar Township Stadium, the APC presidential candidate thanked the people for their rousing welcome and particularly praised the party leaders and Governor Ben Ayade for uniting the party.
“I thank you immensely. God will give you showers of blessings. He will bless your family, protect your family, give you joy, and defeat your enemy. God will give you happiness. Your children will be greater than all of us. Since morning, you have been waiting to see and hear what we will say.”
Recalling his administration in Lagos State, Tinubu assured the people of Cross Rivers that he would make Nigeria better.
“When we took over, we said we would change Lagos. We made Lagos functionally great. Do you want prosperity? We bring our party before you. Thank you, John Enoh, for that respect and Mary Ekpere. God bless you. You will never regret the sacrifice you made. I promise you, prosperity has come. Jobs have come. We will create jobs here. We will turn your waterfronts to be better than Miami in Florida. Money will come in. You will enjoy it and you will be happy. Cross Rivers will become wonder of tourism.”
Taking jabs at the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the former Lagos State governor said the former vice president could not be trusted, adding he would privatise Nigeria’s economy into his pocket.
“Don’t mind PDP and their lies of 16 years. They can’t provide electricity to roast corn. They keep on lying. They say privatisation, privatisation into Atiku’s pocket. We must end that. PDP does not know the way. They don’t know how to think.”
At the Calabar rally, Governor Ben Ayade said the people had come to celebrate APC’s victory ahead of the February 25 election, informing the APC flagbearer the only thing his people wanted were Bakassi Deep Seaport and the Super Highway that would connect the Southern and Northern parts of Nigeria.
“Cross Rivers wants to see the Bakassi Deep Seaport, the Super Highway connecting the South to the North. You don’t need to campaign here. We are here to celebrate,” the governor said enthusiastically.
Other notable APC leaders from the state like Dr. Beta Edu, National Women Leader, State Party Chairman, Alphonsus Eba, Governorship candidate, Prince Bassey Otu, and former Senate Leader, Senator Udoma Egba, all endorsed Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima.
Earlier at the rally in Akwa, Tinubu urged the people of Anambra State to ensure they vote in who they are sure will have their interest at heart as president in next month’s election, adding that the people must reject candidates who preach hatred and bigotry.
He said though the Labour Party Presidential Candidate “is from Anambra State, the people of the state themselves can judge his administration and how he failed to bring meaningful development to the state in the name of saving funds”.
Tinubu said while Obi was banking on Anambra votes just because he came from the state, his time as Lagos State governor showed that he has been a detribalised Nigerian who didn’t judge people based on their tribe or religion.
He said, “Reject the darkness of bigotry and hate. Reject those who think they are so superior to you that they think the public’s money is to be spent on themselves or hidden away in some distant land instead of investing it to improve the daily wellbeing of the people.
“This election is not some popularity contest. This is not big brother Nigeria. This election is about who can make Nigeria bigger, greater, and stronger by leading and treating each other as brothers.
“Look, I know there are some people who will not vote for me. They don’t like the progressive and good things I stand for, and it is their democratic right to oppose me. Even with that, I still love them because they are Nigerians, and that makes them my own even if they try to disown me.
“If I did not see all Nigerians as my family and my people, I would not have selected your dear brother, Mr. Ben Akabueze to be my Commissioner of Budget and Planning when I was governor of Lagos. He is now doing an excellent job as the DG of the federal government’s Budget Office.
“I can not hate a person because of their place of birth or because of the tribe or religion into which they were born. God does not give us the right to be so cruel and mean to our fellow man. I dare not judge a person by the origin of their last name. I would rather look into the quality of their character and their ability to help govern the nation with love, compassion, and fairness.”
The APC flagbearer said his administration’s focus would be to create jobs for Nigerians in large numbers by massively industrialising the country and ensuring everyone has improved daily living and defeats poverty.
“My policies call for the creation of industrial hubs that will provide jobs and skills that last a lifetime. These hubs will also manufacture goods that improve our standard of living and earn precious foreign reserves by exporting them.
“The creation of jobs and the manufacturing of affordable domestic consumer goods for those who live here in Awka and in other southeastern cities will improve your daily lives. It will defeat poverty and give everyone the chance to be able to buy the food and essential things their families need yet still have some money left over.
“My government will create agricultural hubs as well that will offer more and better paying employment while also producing more food for our kitchen tables,” he added.
Speaking further, he promised to reform the education sector, merging innate talents with building skills, to ensure competitiveness and in demand in tomorrow’s job market.
Speaking further on his achievements as Lagos State governor, Tinubu said, “I know I can do these things because I made similar progress when governor of Lagos. Meanwhile, one of my opponents is a former governor of your state. But he does not live among you. He lives in Lagos.
“I live in Lagos because I am pleased with the progress we made in turning Lagos into one of Africa’s biggest economies. My opponent, however, refuses to live among you because he feels guilty for not giving you the development and growth you deserved from him.
“Mr. Stingy refused to use the state’s money to help its people. He sacrificed your welfare and wellbeing so that he could boast that he saved money. But what good is saving money if you refuse to save your own people.
“That type of man is a danger to those unfortunate enough to be subject to his misrule. Such a man was ill equipped to be your governor. Do not make him your president.
“Instead, let the light of this nation shine on the progressive path we set before you.”
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