Youth PCC says Tinubu presidency will deploy digital economy, end students’ woes
Former Director General of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and National Vice Chairman (North West) of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Salihu Lukman, has declared that the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is far ahead of his rivals.
Lukman also faulted notions that he supports the presidential candidate of the opposition Labour Party (LP) Mr. Peter Obi.
In a write-up titled: ‘Fallacious Politics of 2023’, he described Obi, Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) as political merchants without the ideological antecedents Tinubu boasts of.
“For Nigeria to be a truly democratic nation, both political parties and elected representatives must be accountable. Unlike all the other candidates, it is only Asiwaju who is a product of internal struggle within the party for accountability.
“The candidature of Asiwaju, therefore, represents hope for the emergence of accountable leaders. To have accountable leaders requires the presence of political parties with accountable management as provided in their rules,” he said.
Recalling the role played by Tinubu towards entrenchment of democratic rule over the years, Lukman maintained that none of the political parties could withstand the APC, notwithstanding its shortcomings.
On whether he supports Obi, he said: “A close friend and comrade, recently, asked me if I am Obi-dient, suggesting that I am supporting Peter Obi. To say the least, I was very dismayed that anyone could imagine I would support any candidate other than Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Lukman said further: “With reference to the so-called Obi-dient, as much as we respect their choice, we also must appeal to them to honestly recognise the shortcomings of both Mr. Peter Obi as a politician and LP as a political party.
“Recognising these shortcomings will be important in convincing Nigerians that they are engaging the contest also as a strategy to reform both the person of Obi and LP as a political party.
“In terms of the person of Obi, so far, his characteristic is that of a typical Nigerian politician who is more of an election merchant, presenting himself every four years for election, even if it means changing political party.
“Being an election merchant connotes obvious lack of commitment and discipline to be loyal to any political party. This partly explains why Obi moved from All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) to PDP, and now LP between 2015 and now.
“What is the guarantee that his candidature of LP also bears a commitment to develop the LP and get it to overcome all its challenges? Noting that it is a public knowledge that LP has been embroiled in leadership crisis, how is Mr. Obi using his campaign to negotiate the resolution of LP crisis? From a distant point of view, Mr. Obi is, in fact, indifferent to the crisis facing LP.”
Lukman said without prejudice to his respect for Atiku and Kwankwaso, “they are both in the same category with Mr. Obi.”
He explained: “Atiku has been either a presidential candidate or aspirant in every election in different parties since 2007. Kwankwaso has moved from PDP to APC, back to PDP between 2015 and 2019, before finally joining New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in 2022 and presenting himself as the presidential candidate of the party for the 2023 election.
“Out of all the leading candidates, the only one that has never left his party to any party is Tinubu. He is the only one that – although he has been a national political leader since he left office as Governor of Lagos State in 2007 – is presenting himself for the first time as a presidential candidate for the 2023 elections.”
This came as the youth wing of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the APC said Tinubu’s presidency would deploy technology and digital economy to create jobs for youths.
National Youth Spokesperson, Aliyu Audu, who disclosed this, yesterday, said it is time youths got more deeply involved in governance and set aside divisive sentiments.
Audu said Tinubu’s administration would deliver loans that would ease the burden of students and make reforms to guarantee stable academic calendar in tertiary institutions.
He noted that the APC candidate would reform the country’s security system, with a view to make uniformed personnel more professional and operate within the ambit of the law.
“Without a doubt, it is my firm conviction that Asiwaju remains the best option for Nigeria moving forward,” he said.
