Former Senate president and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has promised that Nigerians won’t pay for medical services if he is elected as Nigeria’s president next year.
Saraki stated this on Sunday when he met with the former governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makari, delegates, and other stakeholders in Kaduna ahead of the party’s primary slated later for this month.
The former Senate president and his entourage arrived at the party’s secretariat at old NDA, Ungwan-Shanu, in Kaduna, at about 2:00 pm to address the delegates and other party officials.
Speaking, Saraki told the delegates that he was in the state to canvass for votes and formally intimate them of his intent to vie for the 2023 presidency and seek their support while stressing the importance of the state in the social, economic, and political affairs of the country.
The former Senate President, who lamented the sorry state of the security situation in the country, especially in the Northwest geopolitical zone, said if elected president, he would turn the tide by securing Nigeria.
The presidential hopeful noted that if elected Nigeria’s president, he would ensure that Nigerians would no longer pay for medical services.
This is just as he said he had the capacity to unite Nigerians, adding that he would serve as a bridge-builder between the north and the south as well as the old and young.
According to him, without unity, there will be no peace and progress, adding that the delegates should elect someone like him that can lead and unite Nigerians irrespective of religious or ethnic affinities.
The former Senate President said, “Distinguished delegates, 2023 is not a time to just vote anybody as president. This country is in a very difficult situation and nobody knows it better than Kaduna state. In 2015, you get into your car, day time, night time, and drive to Abuja. You could fly into Abuja…but today, this is not the case. Today, a lot of our young people don’t have any jobs.
Today, there is disunity across the place. We cannot continue like this as a country. This country needs somebody that can stand. That’s why you need a bold and courageous person that can stand for Nigerians.
“This country needs somebody that can show that he can look at Nigerians first before himself and I have done that in the past and I will always continue to look out at Nigeria first. As a Senate President, I stood for Nigerians. I was chased and hunted and I said no, I am going to stand for Nigerians. If I can do that as Senate President with your support, I will do it as President of Nigeria.
“I will not stop until I end insecurity in Nigeria, especially in the Northwest. We will end banditry. Our farmers will be able to go back to the farm because when I was a Senate President, we had a security summit and I told Mr. President ‘this is not possible, this is not possible’ before they said Saraki did not like that government but now they know. But with your votes, you will have security back. Our children will go to school without fear.
“I promise you that because, for those that know me, I am full of energy. I will work and work and work. This is no time to talk. This is time for action. Secondly and more importantly, I am a man who brings people together. I am a man that will unite Nigerians.
“I am a bridge between the north and the south. I am a bridge between the old and the young. Until you unite all Nigerians, we won’t have progress. You need a man who will unite all Nigerians. You need a man who will bring back all the moribund industries.
“My dear delegates, this is a time to find somebody that is not only respected here but also respected abroad internationally because you also new that connection. You need a Nigerian that will continue to protect education.
“As a doctor, I will ensure that nobody pays for medical services anymore. This is doable and I will do it so that our brothers will not go about looking for money for admission. Let us find that person who can lead us and unite us because, without unity, there can’t be peace. Without unity, there can’t be progress and without unity, there can’t be economic empowerment.”
