Over 1500 Peoples Democratic Party delegates attended former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki’s official declaration for president yesterday in Abuja.
At a Breakfast and Media Session titled, “Why I Am Running for President”, organised by Saraki Support Group in Abuja, the former Senate President said if elected, he will be President for all, and will represent a Nigerian identity that is truly diverse, inclusive, and truly Nigerian.
He also stated that he will be the bridge between the young and the old.
Saraki said he will also be the bridge between the private sector and the public sector.
“I will be the bridge between Muslims and Christians. I will be the bridge between the North and the South. because I am the Nigerian for all Nigerians,” he added.
Although he acknowledged the great efforts of all past leaders over the years, he, however, said as long as there is a child in Nigeria that cannot read or write, then the job is not done.
“And it is for this one child that I want to run for President because I will ensure that the law on compulsory basic education is enforced and quality of teaching improves in all public schools,” he said.
He acknowledged that the nation has experienced setbacks in the last couple of years that no one could have imagined possible only less than a decade ago, he said 2023, therefore, presents a great moment of decision for Nigerians.
“2023 presents the moment to choose hope over hopelessness; the moment to choose peace and security over fear and terror; the moment to choose unity and inclusion over division and exclusion; the moment that we draw a bold line in the sands of history and say, ‘no more’ and then move ahead as one people, as one nation, towards our God-assigned destiny as the greatest black nation on the face of the earth,” he added.
On his part, the chairman, Saraki Campaign Council, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, described the immediate-past Senate President as “a real change maker”, saying if elected as President in 2023, he will restore stability in Nigeria.
Hagher said Saraki will “give Nigerians, not the change from the top to the bottom, but the real change we wanted in 2015 to live in peace, pursue life, liberty, and happiness and be guaranteed security, prosperity and good health.”
He further noted that Saraki is loaded with political capital as a man who has integrity, courage, and the love of Nigeria.
Hagher said his integrity was a reason why coalitions of party men and women were supporting him.
He explained that the Bukola Saraki Campaign for the Presidency symbolises the age and social movement when Nigerians have been gravely disappointed with politicians who were elected because of where they were born, the language they spoke, and the way and what they worshiped.
Speaking further, he said: “In Bukola you are witnessing a social movement in Nigeria when, (I paraphrase Dr. Luther King Jr.) ‘Nigerians are ready to elect their President, Judged by the content of his/her political achievements and vision and not by his tribal origin, what language he speaks, and his faiths.’”
He further noted that in the past three months Saraki has been in 36 States of Nigeria either in person or through his Campaign Council to declare his intention to contest for the elective position of President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“His declaration in all the 36 States of Nigeria was well received and the PDP Members and the Nigerian citizens are already in a frenzy to see him win the Primaries to become the flag-bearer of his party the PDP,” he added.
