From Okwe Obi, Abuja
A presidential aspirant on the platform of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Prof Benedicta Egbo, has pledged to tackle insecurity and excessive borrowing if elected in next year’s election.
Egbo, who made the pledge yesterday after obtaining her nomination and expression of interest forms at the NRM Secretariat yesterday in Abuja, described excessive borrowing as a threat to the nation’s democracy.
The Canada-based Nigerian added that her administration would develop a robust national plan to deliver good governance, unity and improve the living standard of Nigerians.
She summed up her campaign agenda into five pillars, namely; economic growth, regeneration, poverty alleviation, labour and power sector reform.
“I will tackle insecurity and unite the country. Nigeria problems keep me awake at Nigeria. I have been thinking and we cannot afford to allow Nigeria sink.
“We will leverage the power of the arm forces and address insecurity. We will deploy technology for that purpose.
“Poverty issue will be addressed, welfare programme will be introduced, labour will be encouraged and review the wages.
“How can a minimum wage be N30,000, an amount for a bag of rice. “We can’t move forward until we have peace and security.
“I will strengthen institutions. We have institutions that are no longer relevant. Some institutions are so weak that we don’t even need them.
“Individuals are now greater than institutions. That’s why we will adhere to the rule of law. No one will be above the law and the law will be applied.
“God created this country as a paradise, but we have turned it to hell. But I will turn around the education sector within 18 months.
“There is hunger in the land, poverty, but a political party is selling form at 100 million. A political party she said has been borrowing. We will rebuild Nigeria and reclaim the future. Nigerian will rise again,” she said.
On his part, NRM National Deputy Chairman, Abubakar Jikamshi said: “history is in the making with cries everywhere where people are crying for alternatives; adding that they cannot sit down as citizens with conscience and allow that to happen. We have to stand up and ensure that we rescue the country.”
Jikamshi decried the spate of unemployment in the country, maintaining that “children of the big men are schooling abroad.
“Benedicta left all the way from Canada to rescue Nigeria. We must support her because she is determined to take the mantle of leadership of this country.
“As a Prof, she has raised Children, as a mother, she raised children. She can’t allow the country to slide, that is why she is here to pick the form.
“Those who are ministers and governors are picking forms 100 million. All those monies is for the government.
“These people are really out to kill us. Nigeria is a sucking ship, we cannot allow them to continue.
“As a speak with you, elections can’t be held in Katsina’ 10 LGA with a boundary with Zamfara. People who were using the train, they were kidnapped, others killed. What kind of nation are we?”