By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bings it’s submission of Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to a halt, a Presidential Aspirant, Gov. Udom Emmanuel, has advised the party National Working Committee (NWC) to present a candidate with capacity to overhaul the economy and rebuild infrastructure to the electorate.
The aspirant gave the advice on Wednesday in Abuja when he met with the partys NWC members to inform them of his presidential ambition and woo their support.
The Akwa Ibom state governor said the 2023 general elections was like going into war, saying that the party must present only generals that has the tact to win the election and acceptable to all Nigerians.
He said, “People want to see those that will bring solution or not create more problems.
“Nigerians want to see those who will be bridge builders and not create further divisions.
“They want to see those who have capacity and will re-construct the economic and the social order of Nigeria and very few of them have decided to come up at this time to throw in.”
Emmanuel said that PDP needed a candidate like him, who would be easy to market to Nigerians to secure their votes to win the next presidential election.
He said that presidency around the word today are won based on the knowledge, understanding and solution about economic issues, not campaign on road construction without creativity and ideas.
“I am standing here today that I understand clearly, the economic issues of Nigeria today. I understand clearly the security issues of Nigeria today that I have a solution all in one on the infrastructure renascence of Nigeria today.
“I have a solution of human capacity development that this country needs. Why? Because I’m one of those frontliners that believe the problem with Nigeria is not unemployment, but capacity development.
“Our chairman sir, PDP needs a product that when you put in the market, even if people might not so much like the party they will like your products and I am that products.
“Let people say whatever they want to say about PDP, they will like me sir. So you need that and there is no how they will not vote for PDP because they like me.
“Why? Because I will come in to build a bridge, to bridge the gap. I will coming to make sure Nigeria remains one,” he said.
The Akwa-Ibom governor said that he had been tested, tried and refined to lead Nigeria and offer solutions, given what he had demonstrated in his state as a governor.
He said that under his watch Akwa-Ibom has not only operated the only government airlines in Africa, producing the best flour (Kings Flour), but also the second state in Nigeria attracting the highest Foreign Direct Investments.
“Today ask any security agency, they will tell you one of the most peaceful states in this country to do business is Akwa-Ibom and by that virtue, we have attracted close to 21 industries across the globe into Akwa-Ibom today.As was ÀSome are under construction, some are ongoing, some have started.”
The Presidential aspirant said that before Nigeria used to import six billion syringes every year all from China, but today the Akwa-Ibom had one of the best syringes manufacturing companies in Africa that some companies in Europe were now placing orders.He said that he has the qualities that will inspire the youths, restore hope to the country and stop brain drain in the medical sector, if given the opportunity to replicate what he had done in his state across the country.
Urging the NWC to support his ambition, Emmanuel says “Paul Apostle said, if I bless you so much spiritually, is it too much for you to bless me materially? “If I have done so much for the party, it is not to much for the party to stand by me to rescue Nigeria.”
In his response, Ayu said that the party NWC had no prefer candidate.He reiterated the commitment of the NWC to run the most transparent and fair primary, so that whoever emerged would gain the support of other aspirants and the party.
“We want to assure you that if the delegates of the party decide that it is Emmanuel Udom, every member of the party will rally round you.
“And if the delegates that it is somebody else, we will also invite you to join hands with us to deliver the candidate, because victory for the PDP is the most important thing.”
Some of the aspirants are the 2019 presidential candidate of the party, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the former Speaker House of Representatives, Chairman PDP Governors Forum and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, two term governor of Kwara State and immediate past president of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, former President of the Senate and former Secretary to the government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim.
Aside from these, other aspirants are : former Minister Federal Capital Territory and Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, former Minister of State for Education and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, 2019 PDP Vice Presidential candidate, former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, a United States-based medical doctor, Nwachukwu Anakwenze; media mogul, Dele Momodu.
Others are : Investment banker and economist, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; a pharmacist, Sam Ohuabunwa, Former Speaker of Abia House of Assembly, Cosmos Ndukwe, Charles Ugwu, Rt Hon Chikwendu Kalu as well as the only female aspirant in the race, Tareila Diana.
