Saraki advocates enduring policies to end restiveness

• Tambuwal laments lack of basic governance elements

Senate President Bukola Saraki has said that without a sound infrastructure and enduring democratic principles, the desire to end unemployment and youth restiveness may be a mirage.The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant said that such would guide his determination to ensure that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) is given priority if he becomes the president in 2019.

Saraki expressed these views at the PDP secretariat in Uyo, while addressing Akwa Ibom State delegates to the PDP presidential primary poll in Rivers State on Saturday.
According to him, the global trend world over requires a leader that is abreast with current issues, adding that investors would look for such leaders with confidence and readily come into such country to invest.

Another PDP presidential aspirant and governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, blamed lack of basic elements of governance for the country’s many challenges. Tambuwal, who said no leader could give what he does not have, spoke at the party’s secretariat in Lagos yesterday.Nigeria as a complex country needs a leader who would understand its complexity to move it forward, he said.

The former House of Representatives speaker also promised to consider the restructuring of the country, if given the PDP presidential ticket.Meanwhile, Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) has affirmed Fela Durotoye as its presidential candidate ahead of the 2019 general election. The national chairman, Emmanuel Daina, who disclosed this at the party headquarters in Abuja yesterday, said that one of its members, Gbenga Olawepo, who felt aggrieved during the party’s presidential primaries, embarked on a media campaign to bully and smear his image and the party.

Also, former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State and now a PDP chieftain, Kenneth Imansuangbon, has called on well-meaning Nigerians to rally support for Tambuwal.

Imansuangbon made the statement while touring Edo State and wooing delegates for the former speaker.The call, he said, became imperative because of Tambuwal’s antecedents as a visionary leader, game-changer and a detribalised Nigerian.“Tambuwal is experienced. I believe in him and his candidacy. I have confidence in him because I believe he will fix the Nigerian economy, create jobs for the youths, stabilise the country, tackle security genuinely and restore the masses’ confidence in democracy,” he said.