‘I will resolve problem of militancy in the S/South region’, days Makinde

* Insists FG is withholding ₦250bn due to states

By Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

Presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement, APM, Engr Seyi Makinde has promised to fix the nation’s educational sector, reset its security architecture and solve the problem of militancy in the South- South region of the country, if elected the next president of Nigeria.

Makinde made the promise on Tuesday, while speaking at the South-South town hall meeting of the APM held in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital.

The APM presidential flag bearer, who doubles as the Governor of Oyo State, similarly declared that there is nowhere in the world where democracy will thrive without a thriving middle class.

He pointed out that to have a thriving middle class, material resources alone will not lead to economic prosperity, stressing that what will lead to economic prosperity includes skills and knowledge.

In the words of Makinde, “I will give you just a one-liner on why that pillar is important.The first is education, because there is nowhere in the world where democracy will thrive without a thriving middle class.

“For you to have a thriving middle class, material resources alone will not lead to economic prosperity. What will lead to economic prosperity includes skills and knowledge.

“I didn’t know anybody when I came to this region, but I came with the skills and my degree from the University of Lagos, and you gave me the opportunity. We want that for every Nigerian, including the youth.

“So, we will reset education and reset our security architecture. We know about the issue of militancy in this zone. Yes, it has gone down a little bit, but the problem is still not solved.

“The RESET agenda will ensure that the issue of militancy is solved completely.

“We will reset our economy. We will not all keep waiting for handouts from the federal allocation, because to expand our economy, we need two other elements. You need entrepreneurs.

“I started my own company at the age of 29. I employed engineers. I took the risk on behalf of the state because government alone cannot provide the employment and expansion that we need.

“So, we will ensure that we encourage entrepreneurs. We will ensure that people have tax breaks. And if you ask me whether we have done it before, yes, I did it in Oyo State. We increased Oyo State’s IGR without raising taxes on anybody. The records are there.

“But just as Senator Ireti Kingibe said a few days ago, they have passed a tax law that is not consistent with productivity.

“You are supposed to tax wealth. You are not supposed to tax poverty. But, they are only interested in taxing poverty”, he said.

The presidential candidate of the APM however insisted that the Federal Government has withheld almost ₦250bn due to each state from Nigeria LNG dividend payments.

According to him, “Rather than come out and tell us what has been happening to dividends paid by Nigeria LNG, they said, ‘No, Governor Makinde, you be careful. You should not say things that are not true.

“I stand by what I have said. The records are there. The papers are there” he said.

Also speaking, the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Baka Mohammed, said, “God has also given you the choice, the choice of goodness, prosperity and the future. It is left to us to make our choice.

“It is not about money. It is not about age. It is not about anything. It is about pedigree.

“The youth and women here in Nigeria are free to make their choices.

“We are in Akwa Ibom, one of the richest states in the South-South. So, we are going to discuss. Everybody should see their comparative advantages or disadvantages.

“Every subsystem and federating entity in Nigeria is important. But we have to have people who would really actualise the potentials. And these are the two people we are presenting”, he said.