The All Progressives Congress (APC), Vice Presidential Candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has stated that APC government will tackle corruption, unemployment and insecurity if elected.
He unfolded his party’s agenda during a Town Hall Meeting tagged, “One-on-One with Prof. Yemi Osinbajo” organized by The Concerned Christian Network (TCCN) on Monday, February 2, 2015 at the Ikorodu Town Hall, Ikorodu.
Explaining the reason for the Town Hall meeting, the former Commissioner for Justice & Attorney-General Lagos State said, “I’m here to explain why APC is the party that will bring about change to Nigeria. The country has never had it so bad in its history like we are having under this present government where insecurity is the order of the day. Unemployment keep rising and more companies folding up. But if voted into power, APC government would tackle insecurity, corruption and create more jobs,” he said.
Unfolding his party’s program to the crowd, Osinbajo said, “Our priority will be to create more jobs and we have plans of creating 20, 000 jobs per state in our first year. We are going to create emergency job program by which every state will have job for its citizenry. We are going to encourage companies to employ more and give them tax reduction.”
“Our focus is also going to be on power to help our economy to grow. Ikeja which is the industrial hub of Lagos State alone is consuming 40% of power generated. We are going to decentralized power so that we can have decentralized power plants all over the country. If we do that there will be no need for all the power going to the grid which requires gas”
Osinbajo who explained that corruption is at the root of the country’s problems added that APC government will tackle the menace.
“Jonathan’s government has spent N4trillion on defense and yet, soldiers do not have basic things to fight the insurgency. What happened to the N4trillion? If the government have provided for the soldiers, the ragtag Boko Haram wouldn’t have been able to stand the firepower of our soldiers who were among the best in the world,” Osinbajo said.
While enjoining Nigerians to vote APC government, Osinbajo said, “It is all about getting out of a corrupt government and putting in place a government that will do the right thing. Nigeria is running an abnormal government. The way people steals and deny others the benefit of governance is wrong. Under Buhari, EFCC will have full liberty its work. If everybody knows that the President will not tolerate corruption, they too will not perpetuate it. Corruption fighting is going to be major policy of APC government.”
On insecurity, Osinbajo said that Buhari’s military government that suppressed Maitatsine insurgency will tackle Boko Haram by providing good leadership. “Nigeria needs a person who has leadership skill. A true Commander-in-Chief, who will be ready to lead the soldiers against insurgents. A leader that will provide necessary equipments for the soldiers and give them reasons to fight for the country.”
Other programs Osinbajo told the gathering at the Ikorodu Town Hall that they will pursue if voted into power are provision of one meal per day for children in public primary schools, provision of universal health care for Nigerians through health insurance and social security for elderly who are poor.
Osinbajo also allayed Nigerians fear that Buhari government will turn the country into a Muslim State. In his words, “Buhari refused to join the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) as a military head of state and it was Gen. Babangida’s government took the country into the organization and President Jonathan became the first President to attend OIC meeting. All his (Buhari) aides are Christians except two of his bodyguard. If he cannot turn me, Amaechi and others into Muslims, how could he turn the entire country?” Osinbajo asked.
In his opening remark, Barr. Ololade Aina Salami, Coordinator, The Concerned Christian Network (TCCN), said that they have brought Prof. Osinbajo to Ikorodu so that people can speak with him directly.
He added that Osinbajo through the One-on-One Campaign strategy has added to the development of political campaign in Nigeria.
Before coming to Ikorodu, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and his entourage had stop-over at Owode-Onirin where he also presented his party’s programs to the artisans and residents of the area.
At the Town Hall meeting were Senator Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa, Hon. Sanai Oyeniran Bolanle Agunbiade, Hon. Sunmi Odesanya, Princess Adenrele Ogunsanya, Barr. Jimi Benson, Asiwaju Segun Adeyemi, Alhaji Babatunde Rotinwa, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, Mr Munir Ajisebutu among others.
