By Diana Omueza
Action Democratic Party (ADP) has urged Nigerians to remain resilient and optimistic for a better government after the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
Mr Yabaji Sani, ADP Presidential Candidate said this on Sunday in Abuja, in a congratulatory New Year statement to Nigerians.
Sani urged Nigerians not to lose focus on the significance of 2023 to Nigerians as they went about celebrating the new year.
” I congratulate the entire Nigerians to have survived the challenges facing the nation..
“My appeal to Nigerians is that they should remain resilient, optimistic and prayerful for a brighter day ahead.
“We have come to the end of the year with great expectations that we will move away from the things that have led us to the harrowing experiences of today.
“My running mate, Dr Okey Okoro Udo and I appreciate the difficult times but we wish to assure Nigerians that the country is at the threshold of a new dawn by ADP if elected into power in 2023 elections,” he said.
He said that to usher in the new dawn, all hands must be on deck which remained a patriotic and historical endeavor to which all citizens must be committed.
Sani said the ADP government would key into the prevailing global agenda of climate change, energy transition and information and communication technology (ICT).
All these, he said, were the drivers of the fourth industrial revolution to tackle issues relating to economic, security, health and education sectors among other critical spheres in the overall socio-economic development of the country.
Sani said that when elected as president, he would focus on the implementation of the ADP seven-point agenda.
“The agenda includes Education, Agriculture, Health, Security, Infrastructure, Oil and gas and war against corruption.
“I believe in the universal perception of education as the bedrock of any societal progress.
“In this context, my administration will ensure the allocation of at least 22 per cent of the nation’s annual budget to education in compliance with the UNESCO recommendation.
“As a practical strategy to making health care delivery available to the mass of Nigerians, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and its versions at state level will be reinvigorated.
“To cover far more number of citizens with the ultimate goal of total coverage of the populace.
“Our government will decisively deal with security matters and build a people’s military and a people’s police force,” he said.
He, however, said that the choice for good governance, development and progress was the people’s decision to make and urged them to vote for ADP adding that it was the only credible alternative.
Sani appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a transparent, credible and acceptable elections.
He sais that he believed the introduction of technological devices such as BVAS and IReV as well as the electronic transmission of election results would minimise incidents of abuse and manipulation of the electoral process.
“We are as well calling on the leadership of the electoral umpire to remain steadfast and resolute.
“We implore Nigerians in general and major players such as political parties and security agencies to give their unflinching support to INEC to ensure success of the 2023 general elections,” he said.
Sani urged the Federal Government to ensure that the alleged sensitive materials for the 2023 elections kept at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were evacuated to a more appropriate place of safety.
