Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant has promised to use modern technology to re-secure Nigeria if elected.
He stated this after a consultative meeting with Kebbi State PDP executives, delegates and other key stakeholders of the party held at the state secretariat in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Tambuwal was in Birnin Kebbi in continuation of consultation towards accomplishing his intent of becoming the presidential flag-bearer of PDP.
Tambuwal, who was former Speaker, House of Representatives, said: “First of all, it’s about ensuring that Nigeria is re-secured and to do that, we must reorient our security forces so that they learn and understand the techniques of the current security challenges.
“We will ensure supply of sufficient modern equipment and ensure that security agents are well taken care of in terms of their welfare, recruit more and more personnel and use modern technology to fight banditry, insurgency and other crimes across Nigeria.
“We also intend to create more jobs, we will have no business with poverty in Nigeria, and by creating more jobs, you are in a way addressing the issue of insecurity.
“We also intend to support and boost agriculture that will take care of most of the people by engaging them in one form of agriculture or the other.”
On education, the aspirant observed that “if care is not taken”, the country’s education system would collapse, insisting that the issue was glaring in the lingering squabble between Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government.
Tambuwal said if elected, he would intensify efforts on more of rail services, support constitutional amendment to devolve more powers to states.
“On infrastructure, we intend to do a lot more in terms of providing more of rail services in the country by also supporting the constitutional amendment that will devolve more powers to states, strategising for their involvement in rail system, power and energy.
“This will enable states invest in power generation, transmission and distribution as well as provision of railway and other services and a lot of other things that we will do to reform, reposition and take Nigeria to a greater level,” he noted.
On how to foster unity among Nigerians, Tambuwal said that records were there when he was the Speaker, House of Representatives, he was able to ensure unity among house members from different parts of the country.
“I was able to bring 359 members of the house together without rancour, despite the fact that members came from different parts of the country and from different backgrounds, different culture, and different parties among others.
“This goes to show that by the grace of God the capacity is there to bring back the unity of this country by providing inclusive leadership,” he said.
Earlier, former PDP Board of Trustees’ Chairman, Dr Bello Haliru, commended Tambuwal for accepting to contest for the position of President.
“We are not just happy that you are from Sokoto, and Kebbi is part of Sokoto, but because you actually deserved to do the job. This is because, we need somebody who is more credible and who will mend the bond of relationship amongst Nigerians.
“We need somebody who is honest, confident, committed and more credible to fix the nation,” Haliru said.
Dr Attahiru Bafarawa, former governor of Sokoto State and former presidential aspirant, expressed appreciation for the warmth reception accorded the entourage in Kebbi, appealing for more support, prayer and encouragement to succeed.
He said that the essence of the visit was to consult with stakeholders toward taking one of their own to the number one seat come 2023.
According to him, Tambuwal is more credible to be the flag bearer of the party considering his political antecedent, saying that he was a legislator who rose to the peak as Speaker.
“Tambuwal was not only a legislator but also a lawyer by profession, meaning that he fits into judiciary and at the same time, today he is a sitting governor serving his second term.
“This is to tell you that Tambuwal fits into all the three arms of government. Therefore, he is more credible for the presidential ticket. That’s why we are here to take him to where we want him to be, not where he wants to be,” Bafarawa said.
Welcoming the aspirant and his entourage, Alhaji Usman Bello-Suru, Chairman, PDP Kebbi State, told the delegation that they did not need to beg for votes from Kebbi, assuring that a block vote from the state was reserved mainly for Tambuwal.