The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, flagged off his campaign on Tuesday in Jos, Plateau state, declaring that the 2023 presidential election is a fight to define the soul of the nation.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Tunde Rahman, Tinubu said if elected president, his administration hopes to chart the course of progress already started by the Buhari administration.
He said, “February 2023 is more than an election. It is a fight to define the soul of the nation and to determine our collective fate.”
To ensure overall energy security and resource mobilisation for the country, Tinubu promised to continue the ongoing exploration works in all frontier basins and especially speed up the development of the commercial oil find in Gombe/ Bauchi states.
He commended the Buhari administration for the massive development in the agricultural, infrastructure and power sectors in the last eight years.
He said the foundation laid by Buhari require more builders to make it a massive structure and called on all Nigerians to embark on the journey with him.
“Here, I thank president Buhari again because he has truly established a strong foundation for the things we are now to do.
“Truly the foundation has been set. It is now time to call more builders forward to further construct the national edifice that will be our best home.
“We, the APC and the Tinubu/Shettima team, seek to make permanent a covenant of progressive good governance with the people,” he said.
He promised to assemble the best team and build on progress in the agricultural sector by establishing commodity boards guaranteeing minimal prices for strategic crops, while also promising to create agricultural and industrial hubs in all zones.
“You shall also see water catchment and irrigation systems to help farming while mitigating the dire effects of drought and flooding brought about by a changing climate.
“We will encourage urban employment through a national industrial plan that employs a series of measures including tax and employment credits.”
“Most importantly, I will give utmost priority to extinguishing terrorists and violent criminals. “We shall augment our military, police and security personnel while providing them with better tactical communication and mobility.
“We will employ hi-tech aerial surveillance to track and attack these menaces.
“These evil forces seek to destroy our democratic way of life. I have news for them. We will defeat their destructive way of life. They shall be utterly defeated and vanquished from our soil”, Tinubu said.
President Muhammadu Buhari presented the APC flag to Tinubu during the event which was attended by the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the APC governors, ministers National Assembly members and other top stalwarts of the party.