2023: Security, Economy, Power Top Priorities As Tinubu Unveils 8-Point Agenda

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, will give top priorities to security, economy and power if he wins the 2023 presidential election.

These are part of the 8-point agenda the former Lagos State governor will be unveiling on Friday as the fulcrum of his campaign ahead of the official inauguration of his presidential campaign council and commencement of the campaign.

The APC is three weeks behind since the campaign officially began. On Wednesday, it rejigged its PCC, which has been a source of crisis in the party.

But the Director, Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council PCC, Bayo Onanuga, said all is set to go via a statement issued on Thursday night where he noted that Buhari will lead governors, National Working Committee members and other leaders of the APC to the inauguration of the PCC of the party on Friday at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.

The manifesto would be formally unveiled, he said.

The statement explained that, “At the event which signals the formal launch of the party’s campaign season, the Presidential Candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate Senator Kashim Shettima will unveil their Action Plan for the transformation of the country.

“The 80-page document, containing multi-sectoral policy options, is tagged Renewed Hope 2023 – Action Plan for a Better Nigeria”, he stated.

The manifesto, he said, will give prominence to national security, economy, agriculture, power, oil and gas, transportation and education.

There are also policy options for Healthcare, the Digital Economy, Women Empowerment, Judicial Reform, Federalism/Decentralisation of Power and Foreign Policy as subsets of the manifesto.

In addition, his administration hopes to make huge investments in Sports, Entertainment and Culture, Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship, to expand jobs and opportunities for millions of Nigerian youths.

As he has said many times, he will continue many projects of Buhari as the policy document promised to continue and expand the massive Social Investment Programs of the Buhari administration.

Tinubu stated in his foreword to the document, that, “Our nation’s history affirms that our people constitute our most valuable treasure. Whether the hardworking farmer, the industrious market woman, the dynamic young entrepreneur or the hopeful child, Nigerian people rank among the best anywhere. They excel in every aspect of human endeavour when given a fair chance.

“Senator Shettima and I have traversed every part of our beloved nation, listening to the concerns of our fellow citizens. young and old, poor and rich, educated and uneducated, Christian and Muslim; all have expressed their views and concerns. People do not seek superficial answers to hard questions. Nor do they want the broken, unimaginative, failed promises repackaged and fed to them again. They want true and innovative solutions which address the challenging realities of today.

“Our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) was founded on the premise that the people of our beloved country are entitled to the benefits that only progressive good governance can procure.”

Taking a flashback, Tinubu explained that, “When I was governor of Lagos, my team and I developed institutions and policies that changed the face of the state. It became a safe place for its residents and an engine of prosperity for all those willing to work in pursuit of their economic dreams.

“What my team and I achieved in Lagos, together we all can achieve for Nigeria. Our objective is to foster a new society based on shared prosperity, tolerance, compassion, and the unwavering commitment to treating each citizen with equal respect and due regard.”

Tinubu stressed that, “The current government has made important inroads. When it came into office, the Buhari government met a situation in which terrorists had planted their flags and claimed Nigerian territory as their own.

“The Buhari government eliminated these incursions against our national sovereignty, bringing peace to many areas. Thousands of formerly displaced people have returned home to rebuild their lives.l,” he stated.

He further revealed his experience that, “When I entered office as governor of Lagos, the state was crime-ridden. Safety was uncertain. The population was fearful.

“With bold, no-nonsense crime prevention reform and creative institution building, we won back our state. It became a safe and secure place to live and do business. I shall bring the same determined, problem-solving spirit to solving insecurity at the national level.

“Our administration will be committed to permanently securing the safety, freedom and prosperity of all Nigerians.”

On the toxic issue of the Nigerian Police, Tinubu promised that, “Police reform will be focused on positioning the institution to better deliver on its primary duties of community policing and maintaining law and order through crime fighting and prevention.

“Police personnel will be freed from extraneous duties such as VIP security and guard duties. VIP Security and provision of security for government buildings, installations and other critical assets will be transferred to The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The NSCDC shall be evaluated and reformed to be better integrated with our internal security apparatus.”