Atiku Abubakar releases new covenant with Nigerians, reveals an abridged 5-point development agenda

Former Vice President and a leading presidential aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said the election lost by the PDP in 2019 was a huge loss to the nation, considering his intention to change things for good.

Releasing an abridged version of his policy document tagged,“ My covenant with Nigerians,’’ Mr Abubakar recalled his 2019 policy document which could not be implemented for the benefit of Nigerians because of the defeat suffered by the PDP.

He lamented the failure of the current APC leadership, leading to hardship, which he said was staring everyone in the face.

Atiku’s 5-point development agenda in an abridged executive summary:

The abridged policy document which was summed up to a 5-point development agenda seeks to restore Nigeria’s unity through equality, social justice, and cooperation among various people.

The document further revealed that Atiku will establish a strong and effective democratic government that will guaranty the safety and security of life and property.

The former Vice President, upon return to office, according to the document will build a strong and prosperous economy, creating jobs and wealth as well as lifting millions out of poverty.

The document says that at the centre of its policy, the Atiku Abubakar’s government will promote a strong and true federal system.

Also one of its policy agenda would be to improve and strengthen the education system and equip students with all necessary skills “required to be competitive in the new global order which is driven by innovation, science, and technology.”

Atiku said he believes that with the understanding of the above, the people can hold him accountable if he fails to meet the projections he termed social contract.

The economy

On the economy, Abubakar said ” Our agenda is guided by three basic principles”

He highlighted those principles to include – re-affirming the criticality of private-sector leadership and greater sector participation in development; while also repositioning the public sector to focus on its core responsibility.

The second on the list, according to the presidential aspirant is to break government monopoly in all infrastructure sectors, including refineries, rail transportation and power transmission.

He assured further that the market will then determine prices, and as a result, “the persistent price distortions occassioned by current interventionist exchange rate management policy shall be eliminated.”

Atiku also promised to rely more on optimizing the fiscal space to general more revenues for development. He projected a fiscal regime that is stable and predictable and can clearly bridge the gap between the national revenue yield and national expenditure.

He highlighted some of the fiscal strategies his administration will employ to include, Domestice Reforms to improve IGR, promoting export growth to improve fx earnings, blocking leakages and financing projects through strategic partnerships with private sector.

National Security

On national security, Atiku said his government will reactivate meaningful registration at birth as a way of reducing crime rate and protect Nigerians.

He promised, therefore, to conduct the next national population census as the basis for further development planning.

According to him, dealing with insurgency shall rely mainly on alternative approach to dispute reaolution.

Restructuring

In what looks like.an approval of state police, Atiku promised to restructure and decentralize security institutions, promising to deal decisively with terrorism, kidnapping and other crimes.

The former Vice President is optimistic of a Nigeria that will work again through reatructuring, promising to work with the National Assembly and all other stakeholders, to initiate the process of genuine and transparent constitutional amendments.

On anti-corruption, top on the agenda was to champion institutional reforms of agencies and further strengthen them.