Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the PDP, speaks at a parley with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has told the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) that he believes totally in the strategy document of the religious body.
The former Nigerian vice president, who made this known during his session with the leadership of the CAN in Abuja on Tuesday, said there is no difference between the religious body’s ‘Policy Roadmap for a Future Nigeria’ and his position, as contained in his policy document and a book he had written.
“I have listened to the presentation of CAN document and I can tell you the CAN document is totally in conformity with my thoughts in a book which I published when I was the vice president, and this led to a fundamental disagreement with my boss as well as my constituents,” said Atiku, alluding to his rift with then president Olusegun Obasanjo during their two-term in office from 1999 to 2007. “There is no difference between my book and CAN’s presentation.”
Speaking further, Atiku said: “I stand before you not to campaign but to tell you the honest truth. What you have presented is what I have always believed in, and if I have the opportunity, I swear to God, I will do it.
“Oil didn’t send me to school; my parents paid cattle tax, market tax, radio tax, and these were the taxes that sent me to school from primary to university. If God has given you gold or oil, take your oil or gold but I will tax you. Why should we be fighting over resources that have been endowed to whoever it is endowed to?”
On his part, Atiku’s running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, the governor of Delta State, said: “We have come to the season to plant and we must be careful to plant right so we can harvest abundantly and bountifully.
