2019 Election: Economy, Power, Security, rank high on Donald Duke’s manifesto
Though he’ll be widely considered an outsider in the 2019 general elections, Donald Duke is unwavering in his quest to become Nigeria’s president.
Duke, a former two-time governor of Cross River State, has stated that he will only be running an issue based campaign.
In a 14-page document, the SDP presidential candidate highlighted economy, agriculture, power, education, health, housing, and security as some of his main areas of concentration if he were to be elected president in four months’ time.
The 57-year-old will be contesting the position with President Buhari, Atiku Abubakar, Fela Durotoye, Oby Ezekwesili, and Omoyele Sowore.
“We are a resource rich nation plagued with the inability, and in many instances, the sheer refusal of leadership, to find creative ways to harness the country’s raw material wealth in an inclusive manner,” Duke says in his policy document.
On revamping the economy, Duke says there was need to diversify from heavy reliance on oil which has led to corruption and instability. He said he would “pursue access to funding for the myriads of small to medium businesses” which are mostly run by Nigerians.
He also says his administration would ensure the efficient use of Nigeria’s hydro resources “by revamping the outmoded infrastructure that supports it, and localise the power generation, transmission and distribtuion value chains as an urgent and effective means of diversifying the country’s power sector.”
The health sector, Duke says, would see a budgetary allocation of over 35% in his bid to revamp healthcare.
“One of the major causes of insecurity in Nigeria is unemployment,” Duke says of the security issues facing the country, promising that his administration would “decentralize the police force and in the process empower members of the force to take charge of specific geographies and encourage stronger community ties and accountability”.
See full document here.
