The presidential candidate of the social democratic party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo has said that if elected, his party will lead Nigeria well and by extension, West Africa.
Prince Adebayo said this when responding to questions on the tension in the Sahel region and his plan towards environmental development, during the Presidential Town Hall Meeting on Climate Change and Environmental Concerns which held in Abuja.
The town hall meeting which held on Tuesday February 7, had the theme: 2023 General Elections and the Quest for a Greener Nigeria.
Speaking on environmental problems Nigeria is facing, he stated that the problems are caused by failure of the government, adding that the country has enough resources to handle its environment issues.
“Many of the problems you see here, they’re not even environmental problems per say; they are problems of failure of government”, he said.
“First, if you look at the amount of money we need to reflood Lake Chad, it is not up to 10 percent of what EFCC have been announcing all the time that has been stolen from the government. So Nigeria is not a country that we need to call on the world to come and save it and its environment because we have enough resources within the country to do so”.
The SDP presidential candidate further noted that Nigeria is a global power in Africa, hence if there is an efficient government in place, the environmental problems across West Africa can be dealt with. He went further to list the various ways his government would control the challenges facing the Sahel if elected.
He said. “We are the global power around here, by nature of God’s gift. Therefore, if you have an efficient government in Nigeria and through the mechanism of ECOWAS and other bilateral relationships, here is what we will do.
“First, we will mandate by regulation; so when you deal with poverty, across West Africa, the impact on the environment will be minimal. Second, we have a defense policy – the symbol of it is the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), whereby around West Africa you won’t have militants, jihadists, bandits coming there because we have the ability to take care of that if our defense policy is implemented under the proper commander in chief”.
Prince Adewole further noted that there is need for government to have stability in its dealings across board in order not to have communities clashing.
“So I believe that under our government we will lead Nigeria well and once we lead Nigeria well, we will lead West Africa well and anything the international community wants to contribute will be looked at as their own contribution; but in-house house we are fine”.
The SDP presidential candidate further urged Nigerians to pay attention to issues the nation is facing and listen to his ideas and those of the other candidates of the party to know that SDP is an organic party filled with ideas and ready to work for Nigeria.
Other presidential candidates present at the townhall were – Kachikwu Dumebi – ADC, Omoyele Sowore – AAC, Senator Alkali representing Kwankwaso of NNPP.
The Adewole Adebayo Presidential Campaign entourage comprised of: VP Yusuf Salisu Buhari, Sen. Ugochukwu Uba, Pst Ade Alabi and Chief Godwin Osigbeme .
