Speech by Atiku Abubakar, GCON, former Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the occasion of his Declaration of Intent to seek the Nomination of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to Contest the 2015 Presidential Election, at the Yar'Adua Centre, Abuja. 24 September, 2014.
I welcome you all to this special gathering. I feel truly honoured by your presence. That you could attend this event despite the security and healthcare challenges facing this country at the moment is all the more gratifying. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
We are all here because we believe that our country can be made better. We want to see Nigeria develop, prosper and become the pride of Africa and the Black race.
We are here because we know that change must come and that change will come because of you.
As I move around this country interacting with regular Nigerians, I listen to their concerns about unfulfilled expectations, frustrations and sometimes disillusionment. Yet I still see the
excitement, determination and hope on their faces.
In spite of the many challenges we face, it is quite remarkable that our people have refused to give up
on Nigeria. It is inspiring that amidst difficulties and growing anxiety over the future of our country, our people have refused to succumb to despair and hopelessness. This never-say-die attitude gives me immense hope and it is one of the reasons why I can never give up on Nigeria.
The glaring mismatch between our potentials and our achievements has become for many a frustrating puzzle; for others it is a topic for
national debate; and yet for another group, it is doomsday lament. But as a progressive and open-minded Nigerian, I consider it a golden opportunity and a bittersweet chance to display our courage, rekindle our innovative instinct, showcase our character and turn the Nigerian dream into reality.
The future of Nigeria is represented here.
Nigerians of my generation, who work tireless to earn a living, striving to make Nigeria a better place
for themselves and their families, and who are
entitled to retire in comfort, are here. Our youth
are represented here. (Please join me in giving
three gbozaas for our youth: Gbozaa! Gbozaa!
Gbozaa!). You, the youth – endowed with fresh ideas, bubbling energy and a passionate desire for change – you are the hope of this nation.
Without you, we really can't talk of a future with hope and confidence.
That is why the 2015 election is about you. It is about how to ensure that you live safe and secured lives. It is about making sure that you feed well, receive quality and affordable education and
training, secure good jobs, support your own families and contribute positively to the
development of our country. This is what a
responsive and responsible government owes its
citizens. This is what our generation owes
upcoming generations. This is what we must do to
guarantee our country's future. This is what
democracy promises. This is what our party, the All
Progressive Congress (APC), seeks to actualize.
Our party, the APC, at its inception in July 2013,
offered a great hope for many Nigerians as a
potent alternative to the ruling PDP. We have in our
fold selfless leaders who cherish democratic
principles and practice and who have
demonstrated their patriotism in deepening
democracy.
Regardless of the loud and lavish political
propaganda, deceit, official impunity and unjust
applications of powers of patronage and sanctions
by the PDP administrations, let me assure you that
our party remains strong and capable of fulfilling
the nation's thirst for change. And we shall do so
united across regions, religions and generations.
I am particularly proud that our party has adopted
the innovative Modified Open Primaries in selecting
its flag bearers at all levels. This will ensure the
emergence of candidates whose mandate will be
informed by the popular will of the members of our
party.
Some people have argued for a generational shift
to younger leaders without much experience.
However, I believe that it is the responsibility of my
generation to offer our political shoulders to the
new generation to climb upon, improve their vision
and expand their horizon. It is this trans-
generational collaboration and partnership that
represents the best model to create the future that
we desire and deserve. This is a well-tested model;
the future of this nation should never again be
subjected to leadership experimentation or
learning on the job.
My story is similar to the story of many of my
generation. I was born in a southern Adamawa
village to a nomadic trader and his wife who was a
farmer. I grew up as a shepherd and a farm boy. I
was the only child of my parents. My father had to
be imprisoned by Local Council authorities before
he could allow me to go to school.
At 11, I lost my father and my whole world fell
apart. With the help of my mother, other relatives
and friends of my father, I pulled myself up from
this doldrums and despair. I faced the future with
uncommon confidence, hope and faith in God. I am
where I am today because I did not give up. I
struggled to acquire a good education because the
opportunity was made available. Most people never
had a chance and their potentials were never
discovered and their contributions to national
development thus curtailed. I worry today that too
many of our young people who could have
improved their lives and that of this nation have not
been getting the opportunities to do so.
In the 20 years that I spent in the Nigerian public
service, I built a solid reputation for myself as a
diligent, honest, hardworking and innovative staff. I
retired as an accomplished and fulfilled public
servant. That is what every Nigerian who had
diligently served this country deserves and not
dehumanization, humiliation and neglect.
I became politically active in 1987 because my
imagination was captured by a leader, Late Shehu
Musa Yar'Adua, who started with persistent
determination and diligence to construct bridges of
understanding and love across the ethno-religious
divides inherent in our society. He convinced all of
us who were bold to defy the status quo to
participate in his noble passion. We were
convinced that it was the only way to preserve our
national unity and establish a structure of peace
necessary for national development. Even after his
death, we have continued with renewed vigour to
pursue this dream.
My politics have always been guided by the
enduring values of fairness and justice, honesty of
purpose, the pursuit of excellence, selflessness and
the love for my country. These values also
characterize my conduct in business.
As Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, I
worked closely with my boss,
President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is also a
passionate defender of Nigerian unity. We re-
integrated our country into the international
community following years of isolation; we
professionalized our armed forces; we embarked
on fundamental economic reforms articulated by
an Economic Team, which I had the honour to
chair. We focused on macro-economic stability and
transforming critical areas such as banking,
insurance, oil and gas, telecommunication, pension
and the Civil Service. We created novel institutions
that should lay the foundation for good governance
and accountability such as the Bureau of
Procurement (Due Process), Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), SERVICOM,
whose Golden rule is "Serve others as you would
like to be served." Sadly, most of these institutions
are now mere shadows of themselves.
We also paid off nearly all of our foreign debt
which was crippling the country; we stabilized the
exchange rate of the naira as well as interest rates,
and reduced inflation. What needed to follow was
for these macro-economic gains to be further
translated into improved welfare for our people.
With the reforms in the telecommunications sector
we increased the number of functioning telephone
lines from 200,000 at the inception of our
administration to over 70 million by the time we
left. Our reforms also led to an increase in the
market capitalization of the Nigerian Stock
Exchange from N400 billion to over N8 trillion by
2007 and to nearly N13 trillion by 2008.
We also handed over well-articulated master Plans
for the development of multi-modal transportation
system, including a contract for the modernization
of the railways. We also commenced the
implementation of the Gas to Power Master Plan,
with a target of 26,000 megawatts of electricity
expected to be delivered by 2015.
This is the story of the service of an
administration, which I am proud to have been a
part of. These achievements were made possible
because of the vision, commitment and dedication
of leadership. Good leadership is what it takes to
make good things happen. Did we resolve all of
Nigeria's challenges? Of course not! But no one
would say that there was leadership vacuum or a
lack of commitment, plan and execution.
We know the story today. Rather than continuing to
pay down our debts, our borrowing has actually
been increasing even though the price of oil has
consistently been above $100 per barrel since the
inception of the current administration. The
percentage of our budget that is implemented has
diminished significantly since capital projects are
poorly cash-backed.
A number of major manufacturers have divested
from Nigeria and relocated to neighbouring
countries while those that remain operate at far
below their installed capacity due mainly to poor
infrastructure. The environment for doing
business, and our ranking in world competitiveness
index have worsened. Therefore, job opportunities
for our teeming youth have become harder to
come by. We recall with sadness the avoidable
deaths of job seekers during the poorly organized
so-called Immigration Service recruitment exam
just last year. Up to this moment no one has been
held accountable for those needless deaths.
On human development, our infant and maternal
mortality, and poverty and illiteracy levels continue
to be embarrassingly high. Thus, while countries
such as Ghana, Gabon and Botswana are classified
by the UNDP as being at the Medium Human
Development Level, Nigeria is grouped with those
at the Low Human Development Level.
This situation reinforces the urgent need for
change. We cannot continue down this path of
national decline.
Resentment, disillusionment and hopelessness are
the emotions on which insecurity and disharmony
thrive. Our country is more divided today than at
any other time since the civil war. There is a
disturbing rise in ethnic nationalism and religious
bigotry. This is promoting social tension and
mutual distrust amongst the people of Nigeria. All
over the country, there are daily breaches of
security resulting in loss of lives and properties.
Armed robbery, kidnappings and human trafficking
continue to ravage many parts of the country. A
bunch of extremist insurgents are hoisting strange
flags on large areas of our territory that they claim
to have conquered. Unspeakable horrors are now
being committed daily against our people by anti-
social elements in the name of religion and other
causes.
Government has a responsibility to do everything
possible to halt the on-going dehumanization of
Nigerians. Unfortunately what we have is a serious
governance deficit. To put it bluntly, our country
seems to be on auto pilot with no one in charge.
We need a strong, dynamic, decisive, competent
and visionary leadership that can halt the current
drift of the ship of state, fight corruption, create
jobs, rebuild our infrastructure, provide social
services and tackle insecurity in a decisive, robust
multi-pronged way. This is the change we want and
deserve and this is the change the APC is primed to
offer. And that is why I am a proud member of this
platform for change.
To fix Nigeria, an APC government will promote a
new socio-political order which will compel the
leadership to always balance power and authority
with service and accountability.
I have been asked why I am always seeking to
become the president of this country. My passion
for governance is that of a man who wants to do
more because there is so much more to be done in
fixing Nigeria. This passion continues to grow as
long as this government is not really doing the
fixing. I have what it takes to bring people together
and turn things around for the better. Therefore, I
want to play a leading role in the trans-generational
efforts to save this country and improve the lives of
our people.
With the support of the millions of Nigerians
desirous of change and the hard work by all of us,
the APC shall form the next government of this
great nation.
I have, therefore, decided that I will, along with
other respected leaders of our party, seek
nomination as a candidate of the APC to contest the
Presidential election of 2015.
I want to lead a government that will invest in its
people because people constitute the wealth of any
nation. I want to lead a government that will create
"A Nigeria for All". A Nigeria that is not about
North or South, Christian or Muslim, but about a
better tomorrow where every citizen will feel
secure, act with patriotism, having assurance of the
fulfilment of his or her aspirations.
I want to lead a government that will rebuild the
institutions of governance with zero tolerance for
corruption and nepotism, where hard work and
dedication are adequately rewarded.
I want to assemble the best brains in the land and
provide the political will and commitment so that
jointly, and with the cooperation of all of you, build
a Nigeria of our dreams.
Nigeria must rise to retake its leadership place in
Africa and earn the respect of other nations. This
places on us the responsibility of stewardship. It is
the consciousness of this national responsibility
that has guided my political adventures; and it is
this call to serve that I have come to answer once
again.
Nigeria must and will be great. With your support
and prayers, we will change this country for good.
We will create a country that will truly be the pride
of the black race. We will create a new Nigeria for
all Nigerians.
Thank you and God bless Nigeria.
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