Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State has formally declared his intention to seek the nomination of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest the 2015 presidential election.
Kwankwaso has now joined two other aspirants who are also seeking APC’s nomination ahead of the 2015 presidential election.
They are a former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari and a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
Addressing a mammoth crowd at the Eagles Square, Abuja, venue of the declaration, Kwankwaso, said only the APC could deliver Nigeria from the misrule of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“The success of this journey and clarion call by patriotic Nigerians from across the country motivated me to seek APC’s Nomination as the Party’s Presidential Flag bearer for the February 2015 general election.
“I therefore, wish to accept this call and to formally declare my interest to seek for the Presidential ticket of our great party the APC in February 2015 general elections.
“I am offering myself and soliciting the support of all patriotic Nigerians to join Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso on this difficult journey to reclaim our country from the clutches of incompetence and destruction and return it onto the pedestal of Peace and Progress,” he told supporters and party chieftains including some APC governors.
According to him, only the APC that has what it takes “not only to stop this misrule of the PDP but also to reverse the stinking rot and decay that is suffocating our Country. Our Party is the only Party that is built with Nigeria and Nigerians in focus.
“We are the only party that practice internal democracy that believes in equal rights that value our cultural diversities that respect our religious varieties that abides by the rule of law, and that believe in free and fair election as the only lifeline for sustaining democratic legitimacy”.
Kwankwaso therefore, enjoined party leadership and members to mobilize Nigerians to come out en-masse come February 2015 to sack the PDP out of power and save our dear country.
According to him, the call to save Nigeria has never been louder, clearer and more unambiguous than now, noting that every facet of our national life is deteriorating: governance has been reduced to mediocrity; incompetence and impunity.
“I have no doubt in my mind that this journey is difficult and arduous. I have no illusion about the enormity of the challenges. But to save our country, we must walk the journey, however difficult. And we must confront and defeat all the challenges, however monstrous,” he said.
On the security challenge confronting the country, Kwankwaso said “Boko Haram and all forms of insurgency must be defeated” to restore peace and tranquillity.
He spoke further on this, “As a government, we cannot afford to live in denial. Insecurity is escalating at an alarming rate. Little wonder rag-tag insurgents are taking over cities and towns in the Northeast.
“My experiences as Nigeria’s Defence Minister and as Special Adviser on war-torn Darfur and Somalia have shown me that securing a nation and fighting and defeating armed insurgents is only achievable if the forces are professionally mobilized, properly kitted and equipped, highly spirited, and correctly armed with intelligence and munitions”.
“Any responsible government must take these issues seriously if protection of life and property of its citizens is its primary responsibility. These, we understand very well. We must work together, compatriots, in a new APC government to achieve this”.
On corruption, he said the present administration has promoted corrupt practices with impunity, expressing fears that this might continue to impoverish Nigerians.
His words, “The impunity with which corruption is being perpetrated, promoted, and protected by the present PDP administration leaves no patriotic Nigerian in doubt that the government is working deliberately and with determination to impoverish Nigerians.
“We must stop them. We must save our country. Yes, we must. Effective fight against corruption requires strong institutions, political will of the leadership, as well as cooperation of the citizenry.
“This, we are determined to do. Our antecedent testifies that we have the capacity and political will to do so. The transparency with which we are running the affairs of Kano State and the results that the entire country is seeing are a testimony to our doggedness in fighting corruption”.
Kwankwaso picked holes in the fiscal policy of the present administration, describing it as “disastrous”.
“The reality on the ground is at sharp contrast with the cooked up statistics. The fiscal policy of the present administration is more than disastrous. Its micro and macroeconomic policies are as vacuous as they are deceptive.
“Where on this planet do we have a nation so endowed and yet again so impoverished? That is why we must rally around and replace this present PDP Government with a progressive and responsive APC administration under my stewardship,” the presidential aspirant said.
