2023: Atiku in Benue, promises to tackle insecurity, promote agriculture if elected

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has promised to restore peace to Benue State if elected the president in this month’s election.

Atiku also promised to promote agriculture for the development of the state and the country.

He was speaking Monday in Makurdi during the presidential campaign in Benue State.

The former Vice President said if elected president, he would unite the Fulani and the Tivs.

Benue and a larger part of the North-central, is the centre of incessant farmers and herders clashes and other ethno-religious crises.

According to a statement by the PDP campaign council, Atiku promised to ensure that people freely go to their farms without fear of being attacked.

“The umbrella of Tiv people all over the world, I promise you, if you elect me as your president, just like I did in 2001 when I came to Benue and made the Fulanis sign a peace accord with their brother Tivs, I will come and make sure peace returns to Benue State.

“Benue state is the food basket of this country, today our farmers in Benue do not go to farm again because of insecurity. I will make sure security returns to Benue State,” he said.

Atiku said he would tackle unemployment by allocating $10 billion to empower women and youth.

“I also promised you that by the grace of God, the issue of unemployment of our young men and women will be a thing of the past, that is why in my policy document, I said we are going to allocate 10 billion US dollars to empower our young men and women with enterprises.

“Let me also assure you that the infrastructural deficit you are facing in this state in terms of your connectivity with other neighbouring states will be a thing of the past because we are going to make sure that we vote funding for the development of roads and railways to make sure that our transportation system is once again working.

“Benue State has been a gateway state between the far north and the south, that is why we have the railway line passing through Benue State, today that line is not working, I promise you that when you elect a PDP government, we shall reopen the railway lines,” Atiku said.

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Among other things he promised to do, Atiku pledged to tackle the issue of incessant strike action by university lecturers.

“Let me again reassure you that the closure of our universities because of the non-payment of salaries to the members of staff will be a thing of the past.

“I have a private university, and we have never gone on strike for one day, so if a private university cannot go on strike for one day, why should the public university? I promise you ASUU will not go on strike, because we will pay them and fund the education sector adequately,” he said.