APC Primaries: Atiku welcomes Buhari competition

Former vice president Atiku Abubakar yestersday welcomed the decision of General Muhammadu Buhari to join the contest for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket.

Atiku who is also contesting the ticket of the party, said in a statement signed by him that the task of rescuing Nigeria is a duty leaders of the APC are committed to, stressing that the more the individuals who are ready to partake in the mission to rescue the country, the better.

“It is also not in doubt that of recent, successive administrations have failed woefully in building the infrastructure that can promote a healthy economy: our education system is in shambles, public health system is in virtual comatose, we have very poor network of roads totally at variance with the wealth of a country that is the seventh oil producer in the world.

“I believe that the country has failed in these areas because of the excessive centralisation of functions and resources to the government at the centre,” Atiku stated.

He noted that APC plans for Nigeria is to be fully committed to devolution of powers and resources to the state governments in line with the manifesto of the party.

“I am equally disturbed about the way our people have been divided along ethnic and religious fault lines and how we are steadily and dangerously losing a sense of community where every Nigerian can live together without mutual suspicion.

“I believe that the next president of our country, who by the grace of God will be produced by our great party, must be someone who is a unifier, bridge-builder and not someone who bears ethno-religious bias. Above all, he must embody the vision of a Nigeria for all,” he said.