By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
Ahead of May 29th Presidential Primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) former governor of Kwara State and Presidential Aspirant Bukola Saraki has urged the 41 delegates of the part to cast a bulk vote for a North Central aspirant.
He said that the zone which incidentally is the seat of power has not produced any democratically elected occupant of the Presidential Villa. Saraki who incidentally is from the zone said that his government will change the fortunes of indigenes of FCT and ensure that they are paid an enhanced compensation plan for giving out their lands to developers.
The former President of the Senate said that he will construct 500,000 housing units each year and ensure that FCT residents are supported to become estate developers and thereby earn more income.
At a meeting on Monday in Abuja with 41 delegates from the FCT, Saraki told them that he has been supporting the FCT while he was the Senate President and pushed the senate to pass the bill the will institutionalize a Mayor in the FCT but was later scuttled by the House of Representatives.
“I did not start fighting for Abuja today, you all know when I was Senate President, nobody wanted Mayor or for FCT to be in the Constitution and I passed it in the Senate. If you remember, I passed it in the Senate, I fought for it, I passed it in the Senate, unfortunately, those in the House of Representatives did not do it. I’m taking you back to many years ago. So I am yours, I started it a long time ago, it is not because I’m looking for votes.
“So if you will have me as president, it means you are also the president. You are the landlord but you have not done one night in the Aso Rock. With your votes, we shall all do one night in the Aso Rock”.
Making commitments on his plans to turn around the housing sector and make FCT indigenes estate developers he continued,
“When I’m president, when people want to come and develop in Abuja, they will respect you. You will take real compensation, not the type of compensation they are paying and I will fight for it for you. For those of you who are potential developers, who says that Abuja indigene should not be developers. We will provide support in the housing to enable some of you also to be developers too, you too will be owners of homes.
“It is my plan for 500,000 housing units every year when I’m President so that more people will have homes.
“I understand business; I knew how government works because I’ve been a governor for eight years. I knew how the legislature operates, there is nobody with my own records”.
Saraki urged to ensure that they cast all their votes for an aspirant from the North Central.
“We have come together to say, it is a time for North Central. This is not just my own, all of us will be making history, it has never happened before. Our children will continue to thank us for many generations because we made a difference. This ticket is not only my ticket, it is our ticket, all of us shall benefit from it. And that is why the whole 41 delegates here, not one should go anywhere because this is your own. We will tell them in the past, North Central has worked for other people, It’s time for them now to work for us. After they have worked for us this time, then we can talk about working for them again. This is for us. It is not for just me, It’s for all of us”.
Harping on the qualities that towers him above other aspirants, he said, “We must find a president that knows how to rescue Nigeria, you must look at all of us and look at our capacity, measure our capacity, one who can unite Nigeria because to unite Nigeria, you must check our records.
“You must be able to bring collaboration, cooperation and bring people together. That is what Nigeria needs as leadership. You must be somebody who did not miss out, a man with whom I feel comfortable that he can lead us. That is what you will look out for among the aspirants, someone who can unite Nigeria. I believe it is me that will unite you”.
Responding Chairman of PDP in the FCT, Hon Zaka Sunday commended the aspirants for his outstanding profile. He said that the FCT will do the needful to ensure that he becomes the Presidential Candidate of the party.
Present at the event were members of House of Representatives, Hon. Micah Jiba and Alhaji Hassan Sokodabo.
