Nigeria needs urgent rescue - Atiku

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has said Nigeria urgently needs to be rescued from various ills plaguing it.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart regretted that the country has been badly damaged and broken.

He decried what he called the unbearable and alarming conditions among Nigerians.

Atiku said hunger is ravaging the land as farmers have deserted their farms for fear of being killed by various criminals.

A statement yesterday in Abuja by Oladimeji Fabiyi, who stood in for the former Vice-President during the inauguration of the leadership of the Northeast zone of the Nigeria Youth Congress for Atiku in Gombe State, said: “The hunger in Northern Nigeria and indeed the entire country is getting to an unbearable and alarming rate as our farmers, fathers and mothers can no longer go to the farm. Agriculture is one of the comparative advantages Northern Nigeria has over other regions in the country, but as at today, it is almost non-existent, unfortunately, occasioned by abysmal insecurity in the region.

“You hardly can drive 10 kilometres in any part of the North without being kidnapped or attacked by armed bandits. This is not acceptable, this is not the time to massage the ego of the national leadership. This is the time to cry out for help.”

Expressing appreciation to the leadership and members of the group, who were from the six states of the Northeast for the inauguration and their support, Atiku urged Northern youths to protect their future.

“Northern youths have great potentials. You have a huge role to play in what becomes of your region and Nigeria, moving forward. You must protect your future and you can achieve this only by supporting one of your own, who has shown a commitment to your welfare, progress and development.

“Atiku Abubakar, the Golden son of the North East and a Pan Nigeria per excellence surely stand in the gap.”

Fabiyi added: “Personally, I wished Atiku was from Southern Nigeria. We would have given him the necessary support to lead Nigeria. But it’s not too late for the North-east and indeed entire Northern Nigeria to rise up in support of their own.”

The National Chairman of the group, Yahuza Shehu, highlighted the numerous achievements of the group since formation, stressing that Atiku remains the best unifier for a terribly divided country like Nigeria.

“The Northeast has no reason not to support Atiku should he decided to run come 2023.”

He called on all stakeholders, not only in the North-east but across Northern Nigeria to support Atiku when the time comes.