Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) nominee for president, carried his campaign to Owerri, Imo State, on Saturday. He asserted that the South-East has no reason not to support the party with its votes on February 25, 2023.
“I want to assure you that you will have no cause to regret voting PDP. The PDP witnessed the greatest growth in this country during its years. We shall repeat it and even surpass what we did when were in government,” Atiku told a crowd of supporters.
“I assure you and I swear to God, we are capable of doing it again because those of us who did it last time are still alive and strong. See me here. So, the people of Imo and the South-East, you have absolutely no reason to vote for any other party other than PDP.”
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Atiku appealed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) veterans in the APC stronghold by mentioning his “for many decades” long Igbo relationships and his self-described capacity to bring about economic and systemic transformation in the area.
“For me, it is a homecoming to Imo again. The first chieftaincy title to be given to me in the South East was given to me here in Imo State – Nwanne Di N’Mba of Ngo Okpala. This Imo airport, we dashed it to the people of Imo.
“Our community, the community to which I belong, the community that honoured me first in the South-East. That is why if I am the president, Imo is the presidency. It is your own presidency.
“I want to assure you that if I have the opportunity and you elect me, business and trading will pick up again because, in my policy document, I said I am going to set aside $10 billion just to empower women and young men in business. So, there will be absolutely no need for any young man or woman not to have something to do,” he said.
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The PDP candidate also pledged to address the nation’s security issues and take proactive measures to restructure the nation.
“I know we have security challenges all over the country. Let me tell you, when you elect me president, I will come here, sit down with you, discuss with you, ‘What is your problem?’ And together, we will work out a settlement,” he said.
“I know the entire South-East is yearning for restructuring of the country, and it is one of the five items on my agenda that I will sit down with every part of this country, whatever devolution of power we want and resources we want, we will work with the National Assembly to make sure power and resources are devolved to the federating units.”
Senator Iyorcha Ayu, the PDP’s national chairman, promised supporters that if Atiku were elected, he would bring development to Imo and address insecurity while admonishing them that the party would not accept split inside the organization.
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“The state is a PDP state. Since 1999, the state has always been a PDP state. All (the indigenes) that left, including Rochas Okorocha, were all PDP. We must ensure unity to win. We won’t tolerate division in the party. We must work together and produce the president on the 25th of February.
“Everyone must mobilise everyone. Once you win the presidency, we will take Imo back. If you vote for Atiku, he will bring security and development to the state. Vote for a person who understands the country and knows how to tackle insecurity. Igbo people are prosperous people and we will support the youths and women,” Ayu said, according to a statement.
Ifeanyi Okowa, the vice presidential candidate for the PDP, had earlier claimed that Imo’s young had demonstrated that they were prepared to support the party, and that Atiku’s presidency would be “immensely beneficial” to the state’s businesspeople and youth.
Aminu Tambuwal, the governor and director general of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), informed the gathering that Atiku was conversant with the problems facing both the state and the broader South-East.
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“He is here seeking your support to recover this country,” he said.
Atiku also paid a polite visit to the state’s monarchs. He posted pictures of the occasion on Twitter.
“My team and I just ended a meeting with traditional rulers in Imo State under the auspices of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Chairmanship of HRH Dr E. C. Okeke, CFR, Ezeudo II of Amaifeke. Our engagement was robust and reassuring,” he tweeted.
“I’m also grateful to the monarchs for sharing their time and for the wealth of their insights.”
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