The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has promised $10 billion for youth empowerment and massive funding for education if elected in the 2023 general election.
Atiku stated this on Wednesday in Akure at the kickoff of his presidential campaign in the South-West region of Nigeria.
The former vice president explained that enough funds would be provided for the education sector to grow, especially university education.
He said that a careful study of his policy document would revealed that “it is part of my plans to ensure the security and empowerment of the youths through education and entrepreneurship”.
Atiku stated that the party decided to start the campaign rally in Ondo State because the state gave it the highest number of votes in the region in the 2019 presidential election.
He also promised to ensure that all the federal roads leading to Ondo State were motorable.
“We have started our campaign rally from Ondo State in the South-West. It is deliberate to appreciate what you did for us in the last election,” he said.
Atiku also reiterated his plan to set aside a sum of $10 billion for youth empowerment, if elected.
“If you give us your mandate once again and we win, we will end insecurity; we will make all the federal roads connecting Ondo State to other parts of the country motorable.
“To our young men and women, you are the ones who are going to vote for us, we promise you, we will set aside enough money for your empowerment.
“That is why we said in our policy document that we are going to set aside $10 billion to make sure that we provide small and medium enterprises for young men and women, to create jobs and to empower them for a better future,” he noted.
Earlier, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, the vice presidential candidate of the party, said the youths of the country were the ones suffering the most from bad governance.
Okowa said that if elected, Atiku would ensure that the standard of education improve significantly.
“Nigeria and Nigerian youths will never go to bed hungry again. That will become a thing of the past. Seeing you here, I believe it is settled,” he said.
The PDP national chairman, Sen. Iyorcha Ayu, who described Ondo State as a PDP state, said he did not need to campaign again as the people were enlightened, and could not be deceived.
Ayu appealed for the cooperation and togetherness of members for the PDP to return to power in the state and the country.
He, therefore, urged the people of Ondo State to repeat the 2019 feat by giving PDP the highest number of votes, saying Atiku would make life better for all.
The Director-General, PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, said that he believed Atiku has the capacity and experience to improve on the citizens’ welfare.
The wife of the presidential candidate, Titi Atiku-Abubakar, described her husband as “an exposed Fulani man”.
“I have been with Atiku for over 50 years, I have children for him and he did not kill them. The Yorubas should vote for Atiku and it will not be a waste.
“Vote for him(Atiku) to end Boko Haram insurgency. Let’s follow the person that knows the road. Don’t let them deceive you, there is hunger in the land,” she said.
NAN reports that Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun, his counterpart from Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel, and all the PDP senatorial candidates in the state among others, were present at the event.
