The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar on Monday said it was the federal government that developed Lagos contrary to the claims of All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tunubu that he was the one that developed the state.
Speaking at the PDP presidential rally at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, he said the APC administration has been telling Nigerians lies that they were the ones that developed Lagos state.
According to Atiku, “the Federal Government built the Second Mainland Bridge; the Federal Government rebuilt the old Carter Bridge, built the Third Mainland Bridge, rebuilt the Agege-Ikorodu motor road, rebuilt Ikorodu road, and all the major roads connecting Island and Mainland.
“Now the APC government has been telling you lies that they develop Lagos they are lying to you, therefore it is time for you the people of Lagos to liberate yourself from a family government to a people’s government led by Jandor.”
Atiku reiterated that if elected president in 2023 he will set aside $10 million to empower poor Nigerians.
He stressed that he will raise the fund through the sale of moribund refineries
“On my own part if you elect me as your president I said and I promised by the grace of God that I am going to set aside $10 billion so that we can empower our young men and women in small medium enterprises.
“People were asking me where I was going to get the money. If I privatise the Port Harcourt refinery, Warri refinery, and Kaduna refinery I will get the money. So, let me also promise you if you elect me we are going to restructure this country, what do we mean by restructuring?
“We will give your state and local government more power and resources. It is up to you to hold them responsible.
“Therefore the people of Lagos it is high time you take your destiny into your own hands for your own future, not for the future of one family.
“For in the last 23 years you have been governed by one family. It is your right and your duty to take over that governance and hand it over to yourselves that is what the PDP stands for.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom state said Lagos state fared better during the PDP administration at the federal level between 1999 and 2015.
According to him, most of the factories that were working optimally during the PDP era have now packed up.
“Let me tell you something that you have forgotten. The economy of Lagos was more buoyant than the economy of so many West African countries put together. But today if you enter old Oregun, Ilepeju, do we still have those companies again? No.
“In those days of PDP from 1999 once you enter Lagos you will see trains all over Lagos working, That showed that the economy was moving, am telling Lagosians,
“Lagos is where money is made, Abuja is where money is spent, south-south is where money is produced.
“Under PDP we will restore the economy of Nigeria and all those factories that have left Lagos will come back.
“Atiku Abubakar’s administration, the economy of Lagos will bounce back and everything will come back to life. You can imagine the situation we are having right now, it takes only one route to come to Lagos Island, but it was not like that. We want to promise you that we are here in terms of the economy one you settle the economy of Lagos you settle two-thirds per cent the economy of Nigeria.”