The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has promised the people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that a federal government under him as president will give the nation’s capital all that is due to it and its citizens appointed into government positions.
In the same vein, PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, said due to the current hardship imposed by APC government, most Nigerians will not enjoy Christmas this year.
Atiku made the declaration during the FCT rally of the party which took place at Eagle Square on Saturday, saying that if need be, the government would seek constitutional review to ensure that the rights and privileges of the FCT citizens are protected.
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The former vice-president also promised to restore security to the nation’s capital to enable residents to go about their businesses without fear.
Speaking on his plans for the FCT, Atiku stated: “If you give us your support again, we will do more than what we did between 1999 and 2015 for the residents of Abuja.
“All your entitlements under the current constitution, all the appointments that belong to Abuja will be given to Abuja.
“You know that we have done so before and we are going to do so again.
“If what you have demanded requires constitutional review, we assure you that we shall support that constitutional review so that your aspirations are protected and guaranteed in our new constitution.
“More so, we have pledged to restructure this country. In the process of restructuring, we shall give you all that you are demanding. I want to assure you that, and I want to promise you that.
“Currently, we have challenges. Can you imagine Abuja not secured? Can you imagine Abuja the Federal Capital Territory not secured? We shall protect Abuja and secure it for your own safety.
“Of course, you are aware of our five-point agenda. We shall unify this country. Every part of this country will be given a sense of belonging. No part will be sidelined; no part will be marginalised. That is how to bring a sense a unity in a country like Nigeria.
“We have pledged to restore security. It is very essential that we give everybody peace: a farmer, peace to go to the farm, a trader, peace to trade, peace to everybody. It is only when there is peace that we can undertake our different aspirations.
“We have promised that education is key to youth development. We have the highest number of out of school children. We will make sure that these children go back to school. Not only that, we will make sure that our universities reopen forever and ever.
“The people of Abuja, before anybody feels the impact of government, you will be the first because you are in the federal capital. I promise that a PDP administration will fulfill all these obligations. We thank you very much indeed.”
Also speaking at the rally Ayu said the APC has burdened citizens with high prices of essential commodities while the rapidity with which former PDP administration built houses in Abuja to accommodate residents has become a thing of the past. The party boss noted that if Atiku is elected, he will bring back the old days, secure the country and make it more enjoyable for the people.
Ayu declared: “We won AMAC. We won Kuje. We won Bwari (Area Councils). In other words, Abuja is PDP. We don’t need to come and campaign to you because we know what to do. “More importantly vote for our president Atiku Abubakar, because he knows what you are going through, every citizen of Abuja is suffering.
“Our suffering is rising with high cost of rice. A bag of rice is almost N50, 000.
“Most us you will not enjoy Christmas because of the APC. We are suffering from high cost of gas, a kilogramme of gas we don’t know how much now? These people who came with lies to vote for them have created so much poverty that today Nigeria is the capital of poverty in the world.”
