2019: Atiku speaks on ‘desperation’ to become Nigeria’s president

Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, on Tuesday declared that he was not desperate to become Nigeria’s president in 2019.

The Waziri of Adamawa said this during an interview with BBC Hausa morning programme.

He noted that if Nigerians could follow his political antecedent, they would not see him as a desperate politician.

According to Abubakar, “If I am desperate, I wouldn’t have stepped down for M.K.O Abiola in 1993 presidential race.

“In 1993, I contested with M.K.O Abiola. I later withdrew from the race. In 1999, I was elected a governor of Adamawa state, then invited to be Nigeria’s vice president, under Olusegun Obasanjo.

“I could have become Nigeria’s president in 2003 when virtually, all the state governors then, rallied support for me to contest which I declined. I am not desperate to be president as some Nigerians view it.

“As a former vice president, I am opportune to know things. If I am opportune to be elected as a president, I will accomplish my mission by reviving the economy, by making Nigeria an investor’s haven.

“The present administration discouraged investors into the country, because the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) exchange rate policies is too tedious for investors. CBN has three different exchange rate policies, which is not supposed to be.

“If elected Nigeria’s president, I will expand the nation’s source of wealth to cater for the growing youth population in the country. Nigeria can justify my claims, going by the number of youth that are working in my industries across the country.”