Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has given reasons why he decided to vie for the presidency in 2019.
Saraki had on Thursday declared his intention to run for the presidency of the country in the 2019 general elections at a dialogue with youths and young aspirants in Abuja on Thursday.
According to Saraki, he decided to run for the presidency because of the call of teeming youth who had asked him to run for president and that he was going to run an inclusive government for all Nigerians, if elected.
He said that he would ensure that all Nigerians enjoyed “the inalienable right to feel a sense of belonging no matter their background or creed or what part of the country they come from.
“No matter who you voted for or what your convictions are, government must work for you.
I have decided to answer the call of teeming youth who have asked me to run for president.
“Accordingly, I hereby announce my intention to run for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the coming general elections in 2019 on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“I do so with the firm conviction that I have what it takes to secure inclusive growth for Nigeria and Nigerians. My plan for Nigeria has inclusion in all aspects of the country’s affairs as a central pillar.
Saraki said that the young generation did not deserve to “live in the poverty capital of the world.
“It is no longer an issue of how we got here, but how do we get out of this situation? I promise you that I will lead the fight and employ every God-given resource available to us in turning things around.
I am determined to grow Nigeria out of poverty. We will stimulate the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as one of the ways of energising the economy and to create wealth for our people, especially the youth.
“I want to see the youth play major roles at all levels, not only in government but also in the private sector and indeed in every area of Nigerian life. This will be a government driven by youthful energy, innovation and a pioneering entrepreneurial spirit.
“Nigerian youth will be given all the opportunities to realise their potential to the full within a national framework that guarantees inclusiveness. For youth who have ideas and capacity, we will make sure that there is funding for their ventures, and we shall build on the Made-in-Nigeria legislation as part of our job-creation drive,’’ he said.
