Former Vice President and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential hopeful, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has stressed the need to drastically reduce the growing rate of unemployment in the country by creating jobs for the teeming youth in order to forestall its devastating backlash.

Atiku stated this in Enugu on Thursday during the continuation of his nationwide visit ahead of the party’s presidential primaries.

According to him, the rate of unemployment in Nigeria is alarming and all efforts must be made to nip it in the bud by making the factories and industries come alive again. About 12 million jobs, he said, have been lost while most of those that could be said to be employed are underemployed.

In his words, “Today, we are experiencing the highest rate of unemployment in the history of Nigeria and this directly translates to insecurity and that is why we are also recording worst insecurity in the history”.

Talking from his own experience as a former number two man, Atiku said “having served in a government that increased employment rate by over 7%, Nigeria needs a job creator now. I am an experienced creator of jobs and this, I have demonstrated in both private and public sectors. At times like this when Nigeria has the highest unemployment ever, we need a job creator.”

He also stressed on the need for all Nigerians of voting age to take the on-going voters’ registration exercise serious. “The coming general election is very crucial and I, therefore, urged Nigerians to get registered and ensure you vote. Get your PVCs to enable you to vote and also make sure you protect your votes,” he said.

One of the party chieftains in the state, Sen. Hyde Onuaguluchi, in his remarks described the former VP as “greatness personified in every facet of human endeavour”, and that by the grace of God and the support of Nigerians Atiku Abubakar shall be the next President of Nigeria.

Dignitaries at the event included Chief Ejiofor Onyia, Godsday Orubebe, Sen. Hyde Onuaguluchi, Rev. Ralph Nwoye, Hon. Chukwudi Ezeala, Sally Egbu, member of PDP Board of Trustee Christian Ani, member of State Working Committee, Okey Ezibe, Hon. Garry Eneh, Yaya Abubakar and Hon. Innocent Ezeoha, the Enugu State PDP Deputy Chairman, C C Akalusi, PDP State Secretary and

Hon. Prince Asogwa, former Commissioner for economic planning, Enugu.

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