Kwankwaso declares presidential ambition, sets priorities

Former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso on Wednesday in Abuja declared his ambition to contest next year’s presidential election after being convinced that Nigerians have been disillusioned, disappointed and hopeless by the level of maladministration in the country.

Kwankwaso, one of the 12 aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said his decision to contest the presidency was informed by the need for a paradigm shift in the leadership and unresolved on-going crises in the country.

Under his presidency, if voted in 2019, he promised to change the narrative of helplessness, buck passing, division, poverty, insecurity and hopelessness by evolving a new dawn of confidence in building a well restructured Nigeria.

Addressing supporters at the premises of Chida Hotel, Utako, Abuja, the presidential hopeful said “On this day, as I stand before you I offer you a value based leadership anchored on our National Ethics as outlined in Chapter 2 of Section 23 of our constitution and I quote;

“The National Ethics shall be Discipline, Integrity, Dignity of Labour, Social Justice, Religious Tolerance, Self-reliance and Patriotism.

“I will provide a leadership where everybody is free and equal; where Nigerians see themselves as Nigerians first and as Ibo.

Yoruba, Hausa, ljaw, lbibio. Fulani, etc second; where all citizens are self-assured and self-assertive; where they are confident and competent: where they want to do what is right no matter whose ox is gored. I want to lead a Nigeria where people are educated and exposed beyond the confines of their tribe, religion, linguistic group or place of birth.

“I want to lead a Nigeria where citizens respect their leaders and leaders lead and forge a team to promote and protect the interest of all Nigerians.

I want to lead a Nigeria where all are comfortable anywhere and on any positive issue can compete fairly with their peers without favour or discrimination. That is the kind of Nigeria we envision. We will abandon the failed relics of the past. We have all it takes to make Nigeria good for all”.

Kwankwaso promised to prioritise national security among other cardinal thrust of his government saying, the primary responsibility of government is security of life.

“My understanding of national security transcends the stereotype limiting it to the Armed Forces and other security agencies. As former Minister of Defence, I understand security from that point; it covers more,” he said.