Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, Saturday, slammed the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government for what he termed its poor management of the nation’s economy, stressing the need to rescue the nation and set it on the path of prosperity.
Atiku who stated this at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP national elective convention in Abuja, scored the All Progressives Congress, APC government low on virtually all development indices.
He said President Buhari simply failed to make the most of the opportunity Nigerians availed him of when he was first elected in 2015 and again in 2019, according report by Vanguard News Nigeria.
He said: “Today, our country is going through the most trying and difficult period of its existence. I can tell you that I am 70 years plus but I have never seen this country in such a very bad shape, so disunited, so much unemployment, so much insecurity in its history.
“The social and security challenges in all corners along with the lingering tension surrounding the very nature of our corporate existence as a nation, Nigeria is at the edge of because of the lackluster performance and complacency of successive administrations, culminating in the gross failure of this APC-led government.
“As we ruminate the problems of our great country as a nation, let us consider this: we have a chance now to set the ship on the right course. We have the chance to atone for the mistake of past leadership and our collective past mistakes.
“We have the chance to unite the country on the part towards greatness to achieve and exceed the dreams of our founding fathers who fought for independence so many years ago. A chance to seize the opportunity to steer our country towards its rightful position among the comity of nations.
“We can save ourselves and the party and we can save Nigeria together. We have our differences and we will face daunting challenges along the way but we can face and overcome anything if we can only join hands and work together on this noble course.
“The PDP is not perfect, and as humans, none of us is perfect. But we continue to work everyday to learn from and correct our mistakes. The APC has proven itself to be ill-equip to lead the nation. They have shown themselves to be corrupt, in fact, the most corrupt, sectional and divisive party that was never prepared to lead this country.
“The responsibility therefore is for us to arrest the downward spiral of the Nigerian nation and save the country from even greater calamities. This is our collective responsibility.
“We must set aside our differences. We must bring forth our brightest lights and position themselves to rescue, restore and rebuild the foundation so that we can usher in prosperity, decency, security, economic growth, reduce unemployment and restore dignity of our country.
“I am appealing to members of our great party and to all Nigerians to shun our past differences, to set aside political machinations and scheming and wrestle power from the APC.
“The APC has comprehensively failed Nigerians for the past six years. This time is a critical juncture for us politicians to work together to return Nigerians on the part of growth and development. The unity of key players in the PDP is an extension of the unity of Nigerians.
“I believe we should return and focus the party on part of competence. I believe we should gather our technocrats, our greatest minds to join us in charting the way forward for the party in the country.”
