Atiku gave the assurance while speaking at the prestigious Lagos Island Club, where he was one of the prominent personalities honoured on Wednesday.
In his address, the PDP presidential candidate used the opportunity to outline his vision for the country, explain his assessment of Nigeria’s economic and political challenges, and present some of the policies contained in his campaign programme, popularly known as The Atiku Plan.
Atiku also raised concerns about the state of Nigeria’s democracy and the rule of law, particularly following President Muhammadu Buhari’s suspension of the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
“I thank the Lagos Island Club for giving me this platform to speak to such a distinguished audience and on such a germane issue. I specifically want to thank you for giving me the liberty to suggest a topic for today’s discourse.
“I had no hesitation in seizing this great opportunity to speak to you on my vision for this great country.
“However, before I delve into this subject, I need to say a few words on a fact that many of you already know: our democracy is in peril.
“After unsuccessfully abusing the instruments of state to remove the leadership of the legislature, President Muhammadu Buhari has turned his sights on the judiciary.
“The action of unilaterally suspending the Chief Justice of Nigeria by President Buhari is unconstitutional. The Constitution provides laid-down rules for the suspension or removal of the CJN, and this has not been followed.
“This is a grave attack on our Constitution and the people of our country. As someone who has vigorously defended our Constitution over a number of decades, you can be rest assured that I will do all in my power to ensure the matter is resolved in accordance with our Constitution.
“For a key part of my vision for Nigeria is respect for the rule of law, because without it you can have no society.”
Turning to his proposed agenda for the country, Atiku said Nigerians should demand detailed policy programmes from politicians seeking public office rather than accept political slogans and propaganda.
“My preference for this topic is informed by one major consideration. It has always been my view that those who aspire to govern Nigeria must begin to unveil their policy priorities and their strategies for dealing with a plethora of local and national issues, from the mundane to the most complex.
“Indeed, it is time for citizens to demand, as a matter of right, from people aspiring to lead them, a plan on what they want to accomplish and how.
“Political slogans should not take the place of development plans, and propaganda is a poor substitute for proper socio-economic and political agenda.”
Atiku pointed to the experiences of countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and China as examples of nations that, in his assessment, had achieved significant economic transformation through deliberate policies and visionary leadership.
He said Nigeria possessed the human and material resources required to achieve a similar transformation.
“I have faith in the capacity of Nigeria to make a quantum leap from third world to first that Singapore, under Lee Kuan Yew, or Malaysia under Dr. Mahathir, made.
“We have the human and material resources required to make the leap, and in fact, many of our nationals have helped other nations make that transition.”
However, Atiku expressed concern about the country’s economic situation, arguing that unemployment, poverty and inequality had become major challenges confronting Nigerians.
He also criticised what he described as the absence of a coherent economic policy capable of attracting investment, supporting small businesses and creating sufficient employment opportunities.
According to him, Nigeria’s political structure also required fundamental reforms to strengthen the federating units and improve governance.
“The structure of our country is not working.
“If we are to develop into a United, Secure and Prosperous nation, we must be bold enough to stitch all the structural fault lines that have arrested our development as a nation.
“We must adopt a new economic management model and a new political structure that will cure all the federating units of their addiction to oil revenues.
“We must restructure the polity and the economy.”
Atiku said his vision for Nigeria had been encapsulated in The Atiku Plan, which he said was launched on November 19, 2018.
He explained that the central objective was to build what he described as a United, Secure and Prosperous Nigeria that would provide opportunities for citizens regardless of their ethnic, religious, geographical or social backgrounds.
According to him, the proposed New Nigeria would have seven major features.
First, he said, Nigeria would remain an indivisible and ethnically diverse nation capable of protecting its citizens and securing their socio-economic interests.
Second, he proposed a modern, dynamic and competitive economy capable of taking Nigeria into the ranks of the world’s top 20 economies.
Third, he said his administration would pursue policies designed to create at least three million job opportunities annually within five years, reduce poverty and narrow income inequality.
Fourth, he promised greater access to basic necessities, including healthcare, education, electricity, water and housing.
Fifth, he proposed a new political structure that would guarantee individual freedoms, strengthen accountability and promote what he described as true federalism through greater autonomy for the federating units.
Sixth, he promised a more inclusive political system aimed at reducing frustration and alienation among citizens.
Seventh, he pledged to make the rule of law a central pillar of governance while protecting the independence of the judiciary, personal liberty and fundamental rights.
Having outlined his vision, Atiku then presented some of the policies he said his administration would implement if elected.
Restoring Investor Confidence
According to Atiku, his administration would focus on restoring investor confidence in the Nigerian economy by creating a more predictable policy environment.
He argued that inconsistent government policies had contributed to declining investor confidence and said his proposed economic policies would be more coherent and predictable for businesses and investors.
Supporting the Private Sector
Atiku said the private sector would be treated as a major engine of economic growth.
He promised reforms aimed at reducing the cost of borrowing, tackling multiple taxation and improving access to foreign exchange for legitimate business activities.
He also pledged greater consultation between government and organised private-sector groups in the formulation and implementation of economic policies.
Privatisation And Economic Liberalisation
Another aspect of The Atiku Plan, according to the former vice president, would be the liberalisation of the economic space and the privatisation of ailing government enterprises.
He specifically proposed deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector, a review of the Petroleum Industry Bill and the privatisation of the country’s four state-owned refineries.
He said proceeds from privatisation would be channelled into a special fund for education and healthcare.
Supporting Small Businesses
Atiku also promised measures to help Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises expand and become more productive.
He said his administration would focus on improving access to affordable long-term financing, providing critical infrastructure and strengthening workforce training.
Investing In Human Capital
Education and healthcare, he said, would receive greater attention under his administration.
Atiku proposed allocating 25 per cent of the national budget to education and 15 per cent to health as part of a collaborative approach involving the relevant sectors.
Creating Jobs
The PDP candidate said job creation would be driven through economic expansion and targeted programmes.
Among the proposals was a National Open Apprenticeship Programme designed to expand the capacity of skilled workers to train up to one million apprentices annually.
He also proposed a National Innovation Fund and an SME Venture Capital Fund to provide long-term support for entrepreneurs.
Infrastructure And Power
Atiku proposed the establishment of an Economic Stimulus Fund with an initial investment capacity of approximately $25 billion to support private-sector investment in infrastructure.
He identified power-sector reform as a major priority and said his administration would seek to significantly increase investment in infrastructure as part of its economic development strategy.
Fiscal Reforms
The former vice president also proposed reforms aimed at improving the management of government finances.
Among the measures he listed were reducing the proportion of recurrent expenditure, increasing capital spending, blocking revenue leakages associated with exchange-rate adjustments and reviewing petroleum subsidy payments.
He said savings from subsidy reforms could be redirected towards education and healthcare.
Stronger Public Institutions
Atiku further promised to strengthen public institutions and improve the coordination and implementation of government policies.
He said the public sector would be repositioned to become more disciplined, efficient and performance-oriented.
Restructuring And Federalism
On political restructuring, Atiku said his administration would pursue constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening autonomy and accountability at different levels of government.
He said the objective would be to reinforce Nigeria’s federal structure while granting greater autonomy to states and local governments.
Concluding his address, Atiku described the 2019 presidential election as a crucial opportunity for Nigerians to determine the country’s direction.
“So, in conclusion: since the return of the country to democratic governance in 1999, I cannot think of a more important election than the one we face in just over two weeks, given our daunting development challenges.
“The opportunity to change the course of history and rebuild the country begins on February 16th when Nigerians will exercise their sacred duty to elect their President and other political leaders.
“Nigerians must reject the status quo and bring in a leader who has a history of economic reform and political transformation.
“Nigeria needs a leader who shares its hopes and aspirations, who understands the complexities of the development process and who has the capacity to articulate an acceptable notion of development.
“It requires strong commitment, bold initiatives, and a discernible shift from the mistakes of the past to lift Nigeria from the abyss and make its people happier, healthier and wealthier.
“So I appeal to you, as well as the entire nation, to go out and vote on February 16th so together we can Get Nigeria Working Again,” he said.
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