Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday took his 2019 presidential ambition to the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, and stakeholders of the state’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and demanded their support.
Abubakar, who arrived the State Government House in Yenagoa, at about 12pm also presented a document he developed on restructuring titled, “Restructuring as a pathway to unity and development in Nigeria”, to Dickson.
The ex-vice-President was in company with a former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniels, the immediate past Minister of Nigeria Delta Affairs, Elder Godspower Orubebe among others.
After a close-door meeting that lasted a few hours with the governor, Abubakar proceeded to the PDP secretariat where a crowd of party supporters received him in a brief rally.
Addressing the party faithful, he commended Dickson for his developmental strides and thanked the people for allowing continuity and sticking with one party in the state.
Speaking on continuity of governance, he said: “The last time I came here was several years ago. The changes l have seen in the state are monumental.
“This is all because of you not because of one individual. You have been supporting this party since 1999 and what you are seeing today is as a result of your support and hard work.
“Once you don’t change parties, you will see what is called good governance. Once you change from one party to another, this one will come, he will do this project and stop and another one will come and start another project and stop”.
The former vice-president said he came back to the state to reconnect with the people and appealed to them to work with him to make the country like Bayelsa.
“We have to work together to see the changes in Nigeria like you have been experiencing in Bayelsa. We must return PDP to power at the federal level. I am ready. I was in the vanguard of fighting the military to return this country to democracy.
“Some of us lost their lives but we succeeded. When we came back to democracy, we stood up to anti-democratic forces and you know l can stand up to anybody and any force in this country.
“This country requires a change. Before 2015, you know how the economy was and today you know how the economy is. We have the largest unemployment in the history of this country since the APC came to office.
“Because APC were never there before they don’t know how to create jobs, they don’t understand the economy, they don’t know how to govern and they never understood the complexities of this country”, he said.
Atiku further commended Dickson for leading a campaign on restructuring saying he had been advocating the issue since 2004.
“I have been following with keen interest your (Dickson’s) position on restructuring. If you know, I have been advocate of restructuring since 2004. Governor Dickson, I would like to invite you as you join me as we work together towards 2019 so that we can do it together.
“The governor and I are on the same page as far as the issue of restructuring is concerned. We have been consistent about it. For us to get the unity, progress and development we are looking for, we cannot escape from restructuring”, the politician said.
In his remark at the Government House, Dickson described Atiku Abubakar as a veteran in politics insisting that the 2019 presidential election would be a referendum on restructuring.
Dickson called on PDP members nationwide to rise up to the challenge of taking power from the incumbent government.
He said: “We have the challenge to take power from an incumbent administration and all of us know the nature and character of the government we are talking about.
“I call for a rejection of a one-party dictatorship in the country. On behalf of our people, our position on restructuring, whether you call it true federalism etc. unless people want to be mischievous, they mean the same thing.
“The wishes and the mandate of the people of the Ijaw nation cutting across Ondo to Akwa Ibom. They have made their positions known over and over again that the 2019 election is going to be a referendum on restructuring.
“In furtherance of this sacred mandate from our people, I have made several consultations with several leaders and even across political divides. I conveyed that message clearly to the president on the need to restructure Nigeria. I and our leaders have resolved to take this message to all nooks and crannies of this country.
“That it is in the interest of everyone if we must exist in 200 , 300 years. Restructuring is a call for adjustment”.
In his remarks, a former Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, said Atiku would do for Ijaw and the Niger Delta what former President Goodluck Jonathan could to do for them.
Orubebe said Jonathan could not restructure the country in the interest of Ijaw and Niger Delta but that Atiku would undertake the task.
He said the PDP was in need of a man like Atiku to win the election and advised the people to convince others to buy into the vision of Atiku.
He said: “When you leave here, talk to every Ijaw woman, talk to every Ijaw youth. What we cannot get during Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, it is Atiku that will give it to us and that is restructuring”.
“Atiku is an enigma. What we need now in PDP is a man with capacity and vision. What they stop the region from getting under Dr. GoodLuck Jonathan, Atiku will provide more.”
