A group, the Young Professionals has obtained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination and expression of interest forms for the 2023 general elections for the immediate past President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
Presenting the forms to Saraki at his Abuja residence, the leader of Young Professionals group, Abubakar Dan Musa said they are confident the immediate past Senate President will make a positive difference in the country.
He explained that “we are not politicians and therefore non-party members. Rather, we are young professionals and entrepreneurs who believe in this great country, Nigeria.
“Thus, after extensive deliberations, we have concluded that the situation of our country is so far from what it should be if we have the right leadership. The country is not running as a functional entity that can bring the best out of her citizens and provide the best for the generality of the people”.
The leader of the Young Professionals also lamented that the country is not providing the right atmosphere for the millions of its youths to serve as agents of development.
“It is for these reasons that we concluded that we should not leave the process leading to the emergence of the next President of our country to only politicians. We have decided to get involved right from the pre-primary election period, he said
On the kinds of candidates they want, he said ” we want candidates who understand the needs of the business group and can initiate policies, programmes, and projects that will encourage the growth of businesses, particularly, small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs).
“We want a candidate that will create a synergy between the private and business sectors. We want a man who will naturally earn the respect of the international community and the confidence of foreign and local investors and get them to establish factories and businesses. We want a candidate who understands that job creation and wealth creation.
He disclosed that ” because we are not money bags and extremely wealthy business people, we have many Bankers Cheques (or what is commonly known as Bank Drafts) put together to make the N36 million that is the cost of purchasing the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms.
“This is because we told each person to purchase the Cheques based on his or her financial capacity. Thus, we have different people contributing between N500,000 to N2million. This is therefore a collective effort, a contribution of many, and a joint endorsement of youths for Dr Saraki”.
According to Musa Saraki will lead Nigeria out of the current multi-dimensional crises and make the country great.
In his response, Saraki who commended the Young Professionals for gesture said “what you have done is a symbolic message that you are mandating me to go out to the field and work hard among all our leaders, delegates, and other stakeholders to win the PDP presidential ticket come May as well as subsequently follow up with decisive victory in the general elections in February 2023.
The immediate past Senate President said with the Young Professionals’ action he does not have an option but to listen to the voice of the youths who represent 62 per cent of the over 200 million Nigerians.
He promised that If he become the President of Nigeria, all positions of Ministers of State in the cabinet will be occupied by youths.
“Without unfolding all the plans here because we will soon formally hold a public declaration to which all of you are hereby invited, I want to once again express my happiness over this gesture. I so much appreciate it and I will not take it for granted, he said.
