The job of rebuilding Nigeria of our dreams is not done as long as there are out of school children, as long as some pregnant women cannot afford prescription drugs, as long as terrorists control even a small part of the country and as long as any Nigerian lives in fear, PDP presidential aspirant Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki said in Abuja on Thursday. He spoke at a breakfast meeting with media proprietors and editors.
Saraki, a former Senate President and former Governor of Kwara State, also said the work of rebuilding Nigeria is not yet done as long as Nigerian soldiers and security agents are not well trained, well equipped and well paid, as long as anyone thinks breaking the law has no consequences, as long as Nigeria imports artisans from neighbouring countries and as long as millions of citizens live in slums. As president he would embark on building decent housing estates to reduce the slums, he said.
Saraki also said some people thought he was too young, too inexperienced and only private sector oriented when he became Governor of Kwara State in 2003 but he made a difference and left the state better than he met it. He built a state university, set up an aviation institute, one of only two in West Africa, built roads and improved agricultural production, he said. He said as a senator he exposed the huge racket in fuel subsidy, and that as Senate President, he protected the integrity of the Senate at great personal cost to himself.
Under his leadership, Saraki also said, Senate adopted a 20-point economic revival plan which, if it had been implemented, would have greatly improved the country by now.
