2019: We will liberate Nigerians from current APC hardships, says Turaki

Former Minister of Special Duties and frontline Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), presidential aspirant, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, has urged Nigerians not to despair in the face of current hardships in the hands of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Federal Government, as they are assured of succour when PDP wins in 2019.

Turaki’s counsel to Nigerians came just as the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike acknowledged the aspirant’s deep understanding and articulation of Nigeria’s problems and solutions which he prescribed for tackling them.

In a release by the Director Media and Publicity, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr. Sola Atere, the duo spoke at the weekend in Port Harcourt when Turaki went to consult with the governor ahead of the forthcoming PDP presidential primary.

The aspirant promised to re-enact robust economic policies with a good economic team that made it possible for Nigeria to become Number three investors’ haven after China and Qatar before the APC squandered the legacy which it inherited thereby, leaving the economy in shambles.

“Investors are no longer coming into the country while those operating there are leaving for better investment environments,” he said.
He said further that “for the first time, we are witnessing a government that has neither a Chief Economic Adviser nor an economic team. This is part of their cluelessness,” he added.

Turaki allege that the APC is leaving a legacy of hunger, poverty, killings, divisiveness, unemployment, nepotism and despotism to the extent that it is even using state resources to attack the people, sometimes brutally.

He recalled the recent experience in Ekiti State where he said the security apparatus was used to suppress the governor who is even supposed to be the chief security officer of the state, as well as law-abiding citizens. The ugly incident, he noted, has again brought the issue of state police to the front burner.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria restated his belief in the principle of restructuring, not just for the sake of it, he said, but from the perspectives of devolution of power, resource control, true federalism and fiscal federalism as well as in terms of statism and regionalism.

Turaki who noted that the task ahead is monumental said the PDP needed a presidential candidate that is imbued with the type of gallantry and fearlessness exhibited by Governor Wike when confronted with intimidation by the APC government.

“We need a candidate with integrity and credibility which Buhari claims to have, and beyond that, we also need what he does not have – a bridge-builder, young, dynamic and well-educated person who can comprehend critical issues of governance easily and also be able to interface with other leaders in this age of technology-driven world.

I am that candidate capable of defeating the APC’s standard bearer in 2019,” he stressed.

Governor Wike who noted that Nigerians are tired of the failure of the APC-led Federal Government wondered whether a government that is unleashing mayhem on the people will concede defeat willingly if it loses the elections as the PDP did in 2015.

He said: “If INEC could conduct free and fair elections in 2019, then there is no way the PDP would not win.”

The governor who described Turaki as a serious contestant advised all the aspirants to engage in decent campaigns.

Turaki was also at the party’ state secretariat in Port Harcourt for consultations.

The vice chairman, Rivers South East, Chief Monday Ngbor who stood in for the chairman, said that the party recognised Turaki’s loyalty and contributions, adding that they know that he would be a good leader if given the opportunity to serve.