Presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Oby Ezekwesili, has said President Muhammadu Buhari is repeating the errors of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan.
Ezekwesili, who served as minister under Obasanjo, disclosed this in a statement released on Monday in Abuja, after flagging off her campaign.
The presidential aspirant who expressed dissatisfaction with the challenges confronting Nigeria, warned Nigerians not to resign to low standards by voting for Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that a vote for either of them would mean resignation to low standards.
“Sometimes it is hard to believe Nigeria’s greatness in the midst of our daily struggles, and as we watch our country repeat the same mistakes over and over again. It is hard to remember the contributions our country has made for freedom and peace across the African continent.
“I cannot stand it when we choose to accept mediocrity or resign ourselves to lowly standards. Nigeria can do much better. I care about Nigeria and Nigerians enough to know that the back-to-back failed leadership has held us back for far too long, and if we do not take a stand and take our country back, they would still be here in years to come, holding back our children and their children. God forbid,” she said.
The former vice president of World Bank accused Buhari of placing a lesser value on the lives of Nigerians, warning that Nigerians needed to vote for a candidate who would take their well-being as a priority.
“Entire communities and even local government areas in this country have been driven into hunger and poverty, as their sources of livelihoods are completely wiped out due to insecurity. The value of a Nigerian life has been devalued and cheapened.
“The structure of a federation is its skeleton. A functional structure gives shape, support, and aids the movement of the federation. No wonder Nigeria is handicapped under this dysfunctional structure,” she lamented.
Ezekwesili, however, assured Nigerians that she would fulfil her electoral promises, adding that a situation where elected candidates deny their promises was bad for the nation’s growth.