There’s No Money In Nigeria, Federal Government Just Managing to Pay Salaries – Budget Minister, Atiku Says

 

Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu has lamented about the country not having enough money to take care of the challenges that comes with increased population.

Bagudu, who was represented by the ministry’s Director of International Cooperation, Dr. Sampson Ebimaro at an event in Abuja on Friday, October 20, urged non-governmental organisations to help the government cover some spaces.

He noted that Nigeria’s population is fast increasing, and unemployment is surging amid high inflation rate. The minister said;

“Government faces enormous challenges especially now; the government is facing a revenue deficit. There is no money anywhere in the country; the government is just managing to pay salaries.

“The growth rate is very slow and the population growth is fast pacing and increasing. Unemployment is surging in the midst of high inflation.”

Buhari Has Promised Me He Won’t Rig 2023 Election For Anyone – Atiku Says

 

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has said that he has the assurance of President Muhammadu Buhari that the 2023 general election will be free and fair.

 

 Mr Atiku told Financial Times in an article published on Monday that he had a sit down with Mr Buhari where he was assured that the outgoing president intends to leave a legacy of credible elections.

“I’ve gotten a commitment from the president personally, because I sat down with him twice, that even if it is the only legacy he will leave, he will make sure he conducts free, fair and credible polls,” Mr Atiku said.

Mr Atiku added that he is confident about the ability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct an election void of manipulation, owing to the recent reforms and technological improvement in the electronic transmission of result that the agency has deployed in the last gubernatorial elections.

Despite fierce defence from Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress and strong contest by third-force Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Mr Atiku’s associates continue to boast of a clear path to victory, citing his popularity in the northern part of the country and dependable allies in the south.

According to them, the former vice president’s neo-liberal leaning makes him the most qualified to govern the country due to the feasibility of his proposals.

 

I Will Support Wike To Become President In 2027 – Atiku Says

 

Worried by the danger posed to his ambition in next year’s presidential election by the camp of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) flag bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has offered the governor a new deal.

 

Both men met on Thursday in Abuja in a fresh bid to patch up their differences, with Atiku promising to support Wike’s own presidential bid in 2027 if he (Wike) agreed to sheathe his sword and support him (Atiku) in the 2023 election.

The duo and their supporters have been locked in a face-off since June when the former vice president overlooked Wike and picked Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.

Previous efforts to reconcile them had failed to yield any positive result.

Atiku even appeared to have decided to ignore Wike, and proceeded with his campaign while the Rivers State Governor and his supporters threatened to have nothing to do with the Atiku presidential campaign.

Five of the 11 state governors elected on the platform of PDP are in Wike’s camp, leading to a major crack in the party.

However, a fresh effort brought them together on Thursday where Atiku pleaded with Wike to prevail on his camp to join the campaign train of PDP.

Sources close to the meeting said the PDP presidential candidate offered to back Wike for the presidency in 2027.

Wike was non-committal to Atiku because of past breaches of commitment, it was gathered.

The governor reportedly said he would consult his group and revert to Atiku.

Sources also told The Nation that Wike was not excited about the 2027 prospect in view of a similar promise made by Atiku to the Igbo during a meeting with PDP stakeholders in Enugu earlier this week.

According to investigation, Atiku met with Wike behind closed doors at the governor’s personal residence in Asokoro District in Abuja.

A source, who was privy to what transpired, said: “Again, Atiku extended the olive branch to Wike. He pleaded with the governor to look at the bigger picture of winning the 2023 poll.

“He asked Wike to prevail on his group to join the PDP campaign train.

“Atiku promised to be fair to all PDP members despite the differences of the past few weeks which were caused by the outcome of the party’s presidential primaries.”

Another highly-placed source said Atiku offered to “support Wike in 2027 if he gives necessary support to him in the ongoing campaign.

 

“Wike was not forthcoming and he avoided an outright commitment to Atiku’s request to be part of the PDP campaign team.

“He told Atiku that he would go and consult with his team and get back to him.

“So, he has kept Atiku in suspense again. We don’t know what the governor and his strategists will say.”

 

I’m A Stepping Stone For Igbo Person To Become Nigerian President Because I Have Three Igbo Children –Atiku Says

 

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar says he is the stepping stone Igbo people of Southeast Nigeria can use for one of them to become President.

Atiku, who stated this in Enugu on Tuesday, when met he with PDP stakeholders in the Southeast, said, “I am the stepping stone for Igbos to become President of Nigeria,” adding that he would win the 2023 presidential election.

The former Vice President said he would prioritise developmental projects in the Southeast and other regions of the country, adding that any projects sited in any state of the federation are not a favour to the state but a favour to Nigeria.

“The second Niger bridge in Onitsha is not a favour to the Southeast, rather it is or should be seen as a favour to Nigeria. This is because it is not only the people of the Southeast that use the bridge,” he said.

On his relationship with the Igbo ethnic nationality, the former Vice President said he has a close relationship with the Igbo people, which he said influenced his choices of Senator Ben Obi and Peter Obi as his running mates in his previous outings as a presidential candidate.

He added that he has chosen another Igbo (Ifeanyi Okowa) for the third time as his running mate.

“I have three Igbo children and I am saying this for the very first time in public.”

Atiku listed five cardinal areas his administration would pay close attention to, which include tackling insecurity, and economic and other socio-political challenges bedevilling the country.

He said his first agenda would be to restore Nigeria’s unity through cooperation, and the establishment of a strong and effective government that can guarantee the safety and security of lives and property.

Atiku promised to build a strong resilient and prosperous economy that creates jobs and lifts people out of poverty. He also promised to promote a true federal system that will have strong a federal government to create national unity while allowing the federating units to set up their own priorities such as state police.

Atiku’s running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa lamented that Nigeria had never been more polarised and disunited as it is under the ruling All Progressives Congress leadership.

Okowa said the only solution to the current insecurity and other problems facing Nigeria is for the PDP to win the next presidential election, to be headed by an experienced politician like Atiku Abubakar.

Okowa called on Igbo leaders to be bold in tackling the challenges facing the Southeast.

The PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Adolphus Wabara said the party would mobilise votes for it to win the presidential election.

2023: Peter Obi Not Fit To Be Nigeria’s President – Atiku Says

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed the chances of the Labour Party in the 2023 election.

 In an interview on Arise TV on Friday, Atiku stated that the presence of this erstwhile running mate, Peter Obi, cannot boost the chances of the party, because it has no structure.

He said, “I really don’t expect the Labour Party to take as much votes from the PDP as people are suggesting. We could have seen it in the last election in Osun State. What was the performance of the Labour Party?

“This is a party that doesn’t have a governor, doesn’t have members of the national assembly, doesn’t have members of the state Houses of Assembly. And politics in this country depends on structures you have at those various levels; at the local level, at the state level and at the national level.

“It is very difficult for a miracle to happen, simply because Peter Obi is in the Labour Party.”