Atiku Laments Worsening Living Standard, Urges Unity,
BY EDMOND ODOK – Nigeria’s Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar says disunity has deprived Nigerians the opportunity of making the required headway for a mutually beneficial common cause and growth of the country.
Accordingly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections has urged Nigerians to make conscious efforts at remaining united in the face of current existential challenges and struggles for economic survival.
This is as the Wazirin Adamawa also challenged governments at all levels to articulate and implement policies that will improve the living standards of average Nigerians.
Atiku, who assured that Nigeria’s future as a nation will be brighter and better, however, expressed concern at the level of disunity, intolerance, and bigotry in the country which results in conflicts with its attendant losses of human lives and property.
In his goodwill message on the occasion of Nigeria’s 61st Independence Anniversary, the former Vice President said; “Disunity doesn’t help Nigerians because it makes it impossible for them to unite for a mutually beneficial common cause.
“I believe that our common interests are greater than those things that divide us. If we spend our energies on division rather than fighting for our common interests, it would be more difficult to bring about positive change to assuage the situation.”
He further said; “diversity is not a bad thing in itself, but what matters is the transformation of the diversity into strength”, adding that “when the citizens are united, they are more likely to bring about the desired change than when they are divided.”
A statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe further quoted the former Vice President as saying that; “Nigerians can defeat divide and rule politics if they are united behind their common interests”, even as he reminded leaders at all levels of the imperative of making our democracy work for all through “justice, equity, fairness and even spread of development across the country.”
While regretting that “despite our vast oil resources, extreme poverty and joblessness have remained persistent”, the Wazirin Adamawa said; “There is no excuse that 61 years after independence, extreme poverty is still the ordinary citizen in the face.”
Atiku, who also canvassed bipartisan initiatives by political leaders to address the spate of insecurity compounded by joblessness and poor living conditions, said; “Insurgent activities have sprung up as a result of unemployment and joblessness of our able young men and women; frustration sets in and this encourages them to be involved in activities that are detrimental to our collective peace and security”.
However, in wishing Nigerians, at home and abroad, a happy Independence Day anniversary, Nigeria’s former Number two man between 1999 and 2007 said; “It is worthy to celebrate our great nation on her anniversary today. We have come a long way together as a country.
“Although we have challenges that beset us like other countries of the world, we must not surrender to them. We must work together, in truth and justice, to overcome these challenges, as a stronger and more united country.”
