elections before a huge crowd of loyalists who shut down the City of Abuja
Senator Kwankwaso declared his intention to contest for the poll on the
platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while addressing a crowd of
supporters on Wednesday in Abuja.
He accused the present administration of not living up to expectations of
the people, stressing that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed
in its campaign promises.
“Today I declare that I am going to vie for the office of the President of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the platform of the Peoples
Democratic Party. I stand on my honour to offer a paradigm shift in
leadership,” he said.
“There is no gainsaying that all is not well with the polity. It is also
clear that the same mindset that created and escalated the problems cannot
be used in resolving the ongoing crisis in our nationhood and national
development”, the lawmaker added.
Senator Kwankwaso also called on Nigerians to vote for change which he
said the PDP would bring in 2019, noting that his intention was to offer
positive changes to the nation.
“To live is to witness changes because change is an inseparable part of
living,” he said, adding, “Come May 2019, the narrative of helplessness,
buck-passing, division, poverty, insecurity, and hopelessness must change
to turn to a new dawn of confidence in building a one well-restructured
Nigeria.”
He promised to provide an equal Nigeria where people from different tribes
would be seen as one, as well as to increase education among the youths.
The presidential aspirant said, “We will provide a leadership where
everybody is free and equal; where Nigerians see themselves as Nigerians
first, and as Ibo, Yoruba, Hausa, Ijaw, Ibibio, Fulani, etc second; where
citizens are self-assured and self-assertive; where they are confident and
competent; where they want to do what is right no matter whose ox is
gored.”
“I want to lead a Nigeria where people are educated and exposed beyond the
confines of their tribe, religion, linguistic group or place of birth,” he
added.