By OLAYINKA OWOLEWA

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says he plans to set aside 10 billion dollars for youth empowerment schemes to tackle youth unemployment in the country.

Speaking at the launch of the PDP North Central campaign in Ilorin on Thursday, Atiku said that the money would be used to establish micro, small and medium enterprises to empower youths and make them gainfully employed for a decent living.

“I want to assure you that the youth unemployment which is all over the country is not peculiar to Kwara state or the North Central.

“Most of you here are under the age of 30 and most of you here have no jobs or businesses.

“We will make sure that in our programme, I’ve promised that I’ll set aside $10billion to make sure that youths are catered for in micro, small and medium enterprises to empower them and to make sure that they are gainfully employed so they can have a decent living.

“We’re not here to tell you lies. We’re your parents. We want you to be like what we are. We will bail you out. We will bring you up.

“We will make sure you obtain your objectives, whatever your lofty ambition. That’s why we are here. Don’t vote for APC again. Vote for all candidates of the PDP come 2023,” he said.

Atiku also promised to tackle security challenges all over the country.

“When they came, they said they would tackle insecurity in six months. But what do we see? We now see insecurity all over the country. It’s a total failure by the APC in all its ramifications,” he said.

The PDP presidential candidate, who promised to return Kwara to Nigerian mainstream politics, appealed to the people to elect all the PDP candidates in the 2023 general election.

“I know Kwara state for a very long time. Kwara is in the middle of the country; connecting the North and South.

“We’ve seen the road infrastructure had been allowed to deteriorate. It was PDP that built the roads. And they’ve come and didn’t maintain the roads and the roads are very bad and un-motorable today.

“We promise that if you elect PDP at both the state and national levels, we will ensure that the roads are connected to both sides of the country.

“Four years ago, they came here to deceive you and told you lies. You’ve seen all the lies they told. Have they performed better than PDP? Are you going to vote for them again? Now, PDP has come to bring prosperity to you all,” he said.

Atiku, who said that the party on Wednesday inaugurated the council of women for PDP, added that it was the first in the history of the party; which was the oldest party in the country.

He commended the people for the large turnout and thanked them for the support and warm reception accorded him.

The Presidential Campaign D-G and Gov. Aminu Tambuwal said that the gathering was a clear message to the APC in Kwara that the state belonged to the PDP.

He encouraged the people to join hands with the PDP in its quest to return to power by coming out enmasse to vote for the party.

The National Leader of the Party and former Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki while addressing the mammoth crowd encouraged Nigerians to follow the PDP.

He recounted how the state was under the party some years back, saying that the people of the state must have learned their lessons.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Atiku’s visit to llorin caused grid locks in major roads especially roads leading to the llorin International Airport. (NAN)

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