Announcing his intention to contest the 2019 presidential election, Atiku said the current All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government had performed below par…

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has formally declared his intention to contest the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The declaration, which took place at the Ribadu Square in Yola, Adamawa State capital, Atiku’s home state, was attended by leaders of the PDP from all the geo-political zones of the country and members of the National Working Committee of the party led by its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.

READ ALSO: 2019: Atiku may declare interest in Presidency Saturday

While announcing his intention to contest the 2019 presidential election, Atiku said the current All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government had performed below par in managing the economy, keeping the country united and stemming the trend of wanton loss of lives.

“Fellow Nigerians, the government of APC has failed; it has failed to unite Nigerians,” Atiku said adding: “Today we are more divided than in any other time in the history of this country.”

According to him, “the APC government has destroyed our economy. They took over an economy with a growth of seven per cent and brought it down to less than two per cent. Today we are witnessing the most insecure situation in Nigeria ever since APC took over.”

He noted that more people had died in Nigeria under the APC than in Iran and Afghanistan, even as the country’s economy continues to flounder.

“Today we have the highest unemployment rate in this country. More than 10 million of our people have been made unemployed under the watch of the APC administration,” he noted. He, however, said he was poised to work with other compatriots in the PDP to secure the party’s nomination for next year’s election, pledging that he would rebuild the economy and reunite the country if elected.