A
abujagirl
Guest
Former Vice President and Presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC on Wednesday night met with Catholic Bishops in Abuja.
During the meeting, Atiku shared ideas on interfaith relationships and developing National unity with the Bishops.
Read Atiku's speech from the meeting;
Protocol
Thank you very much for granting me audience. I feel privileged to be with you this evening.
Although it is political season, and I am aspiring for office, my request for audience with you is not primarily because I am running for office. You are not members of my party who will select the party’s candidate. You are more important than that: you are very influential opinion moulders; you are a very strong moral voice in our society. And our country needs you now more than ever before. So yes, I would like to discuss my plans for our country with you. But we all need to work together to save our country.
One thing I learned as a young man is that no Christian religious denomination trains its clergy as much as the Catholic Church. That’s perhaps why Catholic clergy, like your lordships, rarely speak carelessly, rarely throw caution to the wind, when commenting on national affairs.
I requested this audience because I am worried, worried for our country. As you know, I have been a Vice President of this country. This is a country that has done a lot for me. I do not want to see it destroyed. We need to reach our full potentials as a nation. I would rather we remain a strong united and peaceful country than becoming President of a broken country at war with itself.
Our country is going through very difficult times, especially general insecurity all over the country, but particularly in the north east. We have a growing insurgency which is spreading. And you will agree with me that it is not being managed well. After years of denial and finger-pointing, we have a monster on our hands. Both Christian and Muslim leaders need to moderate their language in addressing this insurgency. This country needs the weight of your voices on the urgency of the matter and on ways it might be better handled. Unlike a politician, when you speak the truth nobody will accuse you of trying to gain political advantage, to win elections. Obviously, if we had addressed this insurgency urgently and swiftly, the enormous resources being expended on security right now could have gone into infrastructure development, education, healthcare, and employment creation for our young people.
In addition, we are currently being further divided along religious and ethnic lines. As you know, countries hardly recover from religious conflicts. There are examples all over the world to warn us. God has given us large Christian and Moslem populations. Neither can succeed in subjugating or defeating the other. So we must coexist with mutual respect and mutual regard for each other’s interests and concerns. This has not always been the way many of our leaders approach religion and ethnicity in this country. We must not let the voices of extremists in both religions drown the voice of moderation and compromise.
Thus I also want you to know who I am in flesh rather than through mere news reports and other third party accounts.
May name is Atiku Abubakar. I was born in Jada in Adamawa State to very poor parents. I was orphaned at an early age, and from then had to struggle to overcome many challenges on the way of becoming a man. And I did overcome most of those challenges. I have also been very lucky. I had free education throughout. I also had a successful civil service career, business and political success, up to Vice President.
I am a Muslim. Some call me a liberal Muslim, maybe because I never try to impose my religion on others. I strongly believe in everybody’s right to practice whatever religion they choose. This stems from my upbringing, environment, education and associations. For those who do not know, Adamawa is like a mini-Nigeria. We have large populations of Christians and Muslims and numerous ethnic groups. Growing up there, you often do not know who is from what ethnic group or which family worships in what way.
Often families have a mix of Christians and Muslims, and indeed different Christian denominations. Politically, the mix is such that it is difficult for any person to win an election by appealing to or catering to one religious group. Thus, it is difficult to have extremist religious views in the State. I certainly do not have such views.
In terms of my personal record both individual and public, I have been a true Nigerian to the core. Even before joining politics, my schooling and work in the civil service had taken me across the country and brought me in close contact with Nigerians of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds. My friends, associates and business partners and employees cut across the whole country. I have made huge financial contributions to the building and rehabilitation of churches and schools across this country (although this is not something I like to talk about since it is in service of God). Religion has never been a consideration in the selection of the hundreds of young people who have benefitted from scholarships from me.
The school system that I founded, including the American University of Nigeria, Yola, admits students of all faiths and provides them opportunities to practice their faith without let or hindrance. It is like any university in America, Europe or any other civilized country.
My public record is similar. I have never in my public life favoured my religion over others. That has not always endeared me to sections of my part of the country. But I know that mine is the right position on the matter because of our multi-religious and multi-ethnic character and the dangers of playing favourites with such a sensitive issue. Two related examples will buttress my positon.
You may recall that I had been elected Governor of Adamawa State in 1999, but before I could assume office, Chief Obasanjo selected me as his running mate. Well, enormous pressure was put on me by what you might call the Adamawa (Muslim) elite not to allow my running mate, Mr Boni Haruna, to become Governor, mainly because of his Christian faith. I refused, and fought all the way to the Supreme Court to ensure that the Constitution was followed. Again, after his first term I was prevailed upon to prevent him from running for second term. Again I turned them down. Virtually all of them abandoned me and the governor. But Adamawa people stood by us and for fairness. As I said, Adamawa is like Nigeria; thus, we may not survive a religious war. Therefore, it would be the height of recklessness and irresponsibility to start one. In any case, no one who favours one religion over the other can win a presidential election in this country.
I am a strong believer in the right of every section of this country to produce the country’s leaders, in order to give every segment a sense of belonging. Consistent with that and in recognition of our ethnic regional and religious diversity, I am one of those who insist that agreements reached by leaders from across the country be respected at all times so as to entrench trust. I stepped down for Moshood Abiola in 1993, and fought with others for the restoration of his mandate when his election was annulled. For this, an attempt was made to assassinate me at my home in Kaduna, which drove me into exile. I was one of those who promoted and supported the candidacy of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a Christian, in 1999.
In addition, I am a strong believer in the separation of religion and state. This is even more important in a country such as ours. Thus, not only is it important for us to maintain religious balance in whatever our government does, I also believe that government should not fund religious pilgrimages. It creates problems for us. And it favours those with friends and relations in government as if they are more religious than others. Think about it: if a group emerge tomorrow calling itself Hindu or Baha’i, we have to then sponsor their pilgrimages to India or Iran as the case may be? It will be potentially endless.
I need not go on. Suffice it to say that I believe in this country. I have also invested so much in it. My family is here. This is where I belong and I will do everything in my God-given power to contribute to its growth and the well-being of our people. Thus I appeal for your support, but more importantly, your voice and your counsel to your followers to put our country first. We have to have a country before anyone can aspire to govern it.
My Plans for Nigeria:
I had offered myself for the office of President in the past, and I am doing so again this time. I am not doing so for fame or a desire to make money. After many decades of hard work, savings and investments God has blessed me with enough of those. That is why I have been able to help my fellow human beings over the years. I am offering myself because I strongly believe that I have the requisite qualification, experience and reach to help our country improve the lives of its citizens and take its rightful place in the comity of nations. The leader this country needs now is someone who can assemble the best talent available and mobilize our people for the difficult task of nation-building. We need a unifier.
Turning Nigeria around will be difficult but can be done. It requires a leadership that understands the power of the collective will, a leader who understands that a mobilized populace can achieve virtually anything it sets its mind to. Our key challenges of insecurity, corruption, infrastructure deficit, and unemployment are related. Thus policy measures that tackle their interrelated nature are what we require at this time. I understand that. Thus, very briefly, I plan to focus on a few critical areas, including the following:
Infrastructure projects, including power, roads, bridges, ports, etc. to kick-start our economy, provide immediate employment and reduce the number of young people available for recruitment by insurgents and other criminals.
Diversify the economy away from dependence on oil, and remove impediments to investments. The bulk of revenues should remain in the states from where they are raised while the federal government has taxing powers. This is critical to get all the states and zones to focus on building their economies and engaging in healthy competition. Our oil revenues should be used to build for a future without oil.
Improve education by instituting free and compulsory primary and secondary education, and reintroduction/expansion of vocational training. In the past our educational model in many parts of the country was such that students were streamed into different tracks depending on their proven abilities, interests and aptitudes? Some students would proceed to universities and polytechnics, while some would proceed to technical and other specialized institutes where they learn relevant trades such as carpentry, bricklaying, welding, and farming. We need to revert to that model in order to help school leavers find immediate employment and also help to elevate the knowledge base and quality of our trades-people and farmers.
Tackle insecurity by equipping our security agencies properly, increasing recruitment and training, and engaging with local populations for intelligence and assistance. Since military rule, we have too much centralization in the country, including in security agencies. Local people will be more helpful in understanding the terrain rather than people from far away locations. There will be massive economic rehabilitation in particularly depressed areas such as the north east to help provide young people jobs, education and hope, thereby providing them alternatives to what the insurgents offer. There will also be a programme of de-radicalization in conjunction with local religious, traditional and civic leaders.
Devolve more powers and resources away from the centre to the federating states. For instance, it doesn’t make sense to continue to talk about federal roads, federal schools, federal hospitals, even federal sports stadia. These should be handed over to states and the resources for them sent to the states for their construction and maintenance. Likewise schools that were seized from voluntary and religious organizations should be returned to them. People seem to have forgotten that western education in this country was introduced into this country by those organizations. Government stepped in to enhance access but did not match it with quality and the moral content that had been there. Also states should be encouraged to pull resources together to run joint services to better serve their people.
A government that I lead will tackle corruption by first reducing opportunities for it; enhancing transparency, training and paying government employees well; and then swiftly punishing those found to be corrupt. It will also require strengthening the existing anti-corruption agencies and making them truly independent through the appointment of their heads and funding through first line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
Electoral reform along the lines recommended by the Justice Uwais Committee, especially by making INEC truly independent, again through changes in appointment of its leadership and funding through first line charge. An independent INEC will help ensure internal democracy in political parties as they will increasingly choose candidates that are truly popular, since votes will then truly count. And when votes count elected officials will feel compelled to really serve the people rather than just themselves. Our democracy will, therefore, be deepened.
Once more, I thank you for granting me this audience. I am available now and at any time in the future to discuss these and any other issues affecting our country with you.
#Atiku #APC
During the meeting, Atiku shared ideas on interfaith relationships and developing National unity with the Bishops.
Read Atiku's speech from the meeting;
Protocol
Thank you very much for granting me audience. I feel privileged to be with you this evening.
Although it is political season, and I am aspiring for office, my request for audience with you is not primarily because I am running for office. You are not members of my party who will select the party’s candidate. You are more important than that: you are very influential opinion moulders; you are a very strong moral voice in our society. And our country needs you now more than ever before. So yes, I would like to discuss my plans for our country with you. But we all need to work together to save our country.
One thing I learned as a young man is that no Christian religious denomination trains its clergy as much as the Catholic Church. That’s perhaps why Catholic clergy, like your lordships, rarely speak carelessly, rarely throw caution to the wind, when commenting on national affairs.
I requested this audience because I am worried, worried for our country. As you know, I have been a Vice President of this country. This is a country that has done a lot for me. I do not want to see it destroyed. We need to reach our full potentials as a nation. I would rather we remain a strong united and peaceful country than becoming President of a broken country at war with itself.
Our country is going through very difficult times, especially general insecurity all over the country, but particularly in the north east. We have a growing insurgency which is spreading. And you will agree with me that it is not being managed well. After years of denial and finger-pointing, we have a monster on our hands. Both Christian and Muslim leaders need to moderate their language in addressing this insurgency. This country needs the weight of your voices on the urgency of the matter and on ways it might be better handled. Unlike a politician, when you speak the truth nobody will accuse you of trying to gain political advantage, to win elections. Obviously, if we had addressed this insurgency urgently and swiftly, the enormous resources being expended on security right now could have gone into infrastructure development, education, healthcare, and employment creation for our young people.
In addition, we are currently being further divided along religious and ethnic lines. As you know, countries hardly recover from religious conflicts. There are examples all over the world to warn us. God has given us large Christian and Moslem populations. Neither can succeed in subjugating or defeating the other. So we must coexist with mutual respect and mutual regard for each other’s interests and concerns. This has not always been the way many of our leaders approach religion and ethnicity in this country. We must not let the voices of extremists in both religions drown the voice of moderation and compromise.
Thus I also want you to know who I am in flesh rather than through mere news reports and other third party accounts.
May name is Atiku Abubakar. I was born in Jada in Adamawa State to very poor parents. I was orphaned at an early age, and from then had to struggle to overcome many challenges on the way of becoming a man. And I did overcome most of those challenges. I have also been very lucky. I had free education throughout. I also had a successful civil service career, business and political success, up to Vice President.
I am a Muslim. Some call me a liberal Muslim, maybe because I never try to impose my religion on others. I strongly believe in everybody’s right to practice whatever religion they choose. This stems from my upbringing, environment, education and associations. For those who do not know, Adamawa is like a mini-Nigeria. We have large populations of Christians and Muslims and numerous ethnic groups. Growing up there, you often do not know who is from what ethnic group or which family worships in what way.
Often families have a mix of Christians and Muslims, and indeed different Christian denominations. Politically, the mix is such that it is difficult for any person to win an election by appealing to or catering to one religious group. Thus, it is difficult to have extremist religious views in the State. I certainly do not have such views.
In terms of my personal record both individual and public, I have been a true Nigerian to the core. Even before joining politics, my schooling and work in the civil service had taken me across the country and brought me in close contact with Nigerians of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds. My friends, associates and business partners and employees cut across the whole country. I have made huge financial contributions to the building and rehabilitation of churches and schools across this country (although this is not something I like to talk about since it is in service of God). Religion has never been a consideration in the selection of the hundreds of young people who have benefitted from scholarships from me.
The school system that I founded, including the American University of Nigeria, Yola, admits students of all faiths and provides them opportunities to practice their faith without let or hindrance. It is like any university in America, Europe or any other civilized country.
My public record is similar. I have never in my public life favoured my religion over others. That has not always endeared me to sections of my part of the country. But I know that mine is the right position on the matter because of our multi-religious and multi-ethnic character and the dangers of playing favourites with such a sensitive issue. Two related examples will buttress my positon.
You may recall that I had been elected Governor of Adamawa State in 1999, but before I could assume office, Chief Obasanjo selected me as his running mate. Well, enormous pressure was put on me by what you might call the Adamawa (Muslim) elite not to allow my running mate, Mr Boni Haruna, to become Governor, mainly because of his Christian faith. I refused, and fought all the way to the Supreme Court to ensure that the Constitution was followed. Again, after his first term I was prevailed upon to prevent him from running for second term. Again I turned them down. Virtually all of them abandoned me and the governor. But Adamawa people stood by us and for fairness. As I said, Adamawa is like Nigeria; thus, we may not survive a religious war. Therefore, it would be the height of recklessness and irresponsibility to start one. In any case, no one who favours one religion over the other can win a presidential election in this country.
I am a strong believer in the right of every section of this country to produce the country’s leaders, in order to give every segment a sense of belonging. Consistent with that and in recognition of our ethnic regional and religious diversity, I am one of those who insist that agreements reached by leaders from across the country be respected at all times so as to entrench trust. I stepped down for Moshood Abiola in 1993, and fought with others for the restoration of his mandate when his election was annulled. For this, an attempt was made to assassinate me at my home in Kaduna, which drove me into exile. I was one of those who promoted and supported the candidacy of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a Christian, in 1999.
In addition, I am a strong believer in the separation of religion and state. This is even more important in a country such as ours. Thus, not only is it important for us to maintain religious balance in whatever our government does, I also believe that government should not fund religious pilgrimages. It creates problems for us. And it favours those with friends and relations in government as if they are more religious than others. Think about it: if a group emerge tomorrow calling itself Hindu or Baha’i, we have to then sponsor their pilgrimages to India or Iran as the case may be? It will be potentially endless.
I need not go on. Suffice it to say that I believe in this country. I have also invested so much in it. My family is here. This is where I belong and I will do everything in my God-given power to contribute to its growth and the well-being of our people. Thus I appeal for your support, but more importantly, your voice and your counsel to your followers to put our country first. We have to have a country before anyone can aspire to govern it.
My Plans for Nigeria:
I had offered myself for the office of President in the past, and I am doing so again this time. I am not doing so for fame or a desire to make money. After many decades of hard work, savings and investments God has blessed me with enough of those. That is why I have been able to help my fellow human beings over the years. I am offering myself because I strongly believe that I have the requisite qualification, experience and reach to help our country improve the lives of its citizens and take its rightful place in the comity of nations. The leader this country needs now is someone who can assemble the best talent available and mobilize our people for the difficult task of nation-building. We need a unifier.
Turning Nigeria around will be difficult but can be done. It requires a leadership that understands the power of the collective will, a leader who understands that a mobilized populace can achieve virtually anything it sets its mind to. Our key challenges of insecurity, corruption, infrastructure deficit, and unemployment are related. Thus policy measures that tackle their interrelated nature are what we require at this time. I understand that. Thus, very briefly, I plan to focus on a few critical areas, including the following:
Infrastructure projects, including power, roads, bridges, ports, etc. to kick-start our economy, provide immediate employment and reduce the number of young people available for recruitment by insurgents and other criminals.
Diversify the economy away from dependence on oil, and remove impediments to investments. The bulk of revenues should remain in the states from where they are raised while the federal government has taxing powers. This is critical to get all the states and zones to focus on building their economies and engaging in healthy competition. Our oil revenues should be used to build for a future without oil.
Improve education by instituting free and compulsory primary and secondary education, and reintroduction/expansion of vocational training. In the past our educational model in many parts of the country was such that students were streamed into different tracks depending on their proven abilities, interests and aptitudes? Some students would proceed to universities and polytechnics, while some would proceed to technical and other specialized institutes where they learn relevant trades such as carpentry, bricklaying, welding, and farming. We need to revert to that model in order to help school leavers find immediate employment and also help to elevate the knowledge base and quality of our trades-people and farmers.
Tackle insecurity by equipping our security agencies properly, increasing recruitment and training, and engaging with local populations for intelligence and assistance. Since military rule, we have too much centralization in the country, including in security agencies. Local people will be more helpful in understanding the terrain rather than people from far away locations. There will be massive economic rehabilitation in particularly depressed areas such as the north east to help provide young people jobs, education and hope, thereby providing them alternatives to what the insurgents offer. There will also be a programme of de-radicalization in conjunction with local religious, traditional and civic leaders.
Devolve more powers and resources away from the centre to the federating states. For instance, it doesn’t make sense to continue to talk about federal roads, federal schools, federal hospitals, even federal sports stadia. These should be handed over to states and the resources for them sent to the states for their construction and maintenance. Likewise schools that were seized from voluntary and religious organizations should be returned to them. People seem to have forgotten that western education in this country was introduced into this country by those organizations. Government stepped in to enhance access but did not match it with quality and the moral content that had been there. Also states should be encouraged to pull resources together to run joint services to better serve their people.
A government that I lead will tackle corruption by first reducing opportunities for it; enhancing transparency, training and paying government employees well; and then swiftly punishing those found to be corrupt. It will also require strengthening the existing anti-corruption agencies and making them truly independent through the appointment of their heads and funding through first line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
Electoral reform along the lines recommended by the Justice Uwais Committee, especially by making INEC truly independent, again through changes in appointment of its leadership and funding through first line charge. An independent INEC will help ensure internal democracy in political parties as they will increasingly choose candidates that are truly popular, since votes will then truly count. And when votes count elected officials will feel compelled to really serve the people rather than just themselves. Our democracy will, therefore, be deepened.
Once more, I thank you for granting me this audience. I am available now and at any time in the future to discuss these and any other issues affecting our country with you.
#Atiku #APC
