2023: I will Tackle Nigeria’s Insecurity via Technology, Says Emmanuel

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, who is aspiring to contest the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Udom Emmanuel, has promised to tackle the worrisome insecurity situation in Nigeria with modern technology, if elected.
He also promised to reposition the nation’s economy and end the yearly budget deficits which is the bane of the current administration in the country.
The PDP presidential aspirant stated this on Wednesday when he met with members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party in Abuja.
He pledged to tackle and put an end to the insecurity in the country through intelligence gathering which, according to him, could be easily achieved through information technology.
Emmanuel said: “Fighting insecurity is not just about buying equipment and military warfare. There is the need to train the personnel very well and invest heavily on intelligence gathering using up-to-date information technology system.
“It is no news any longer the position we are in this country. I just want to let our BoT know that this race this time around, we have a man who knows what Nigeria needs and who has already provided solution at the subnational level to what Nigeria needs. 
“All he needs is to get a platform to actually make that at the national level. What does Nigeria need? Nigeria needs a strong economy that is driven by private sector economy that will survive. 
“Any developed nation you go to, no presidential aspirant campaigns based on the fact that he is going to build a bridge. 
“A presidential aspirant campaigns based on economic policies and once you get that right, you can sustain so many other pillars that will keep the country strong.”
Emmanuel pledged that he would not give excuses when elected president 
He said: “You have in me a president who will not come in and start giving excuses because before I joined the race I know what I am going for. I know the problems and I know what to do to get the answer out.
“Why are we in a mess today? It is because in a country of N200 million people, nobody has sat down in the economic team to differentiate between money and cash. 
“Everything is done based on cash. Any country of 200 million people where things are done based on cash, what would face the currency is what we are facing right now – because even smaller countries their currencies are much stronger. Why? 
“All we know is term shift. Nobody runs economy of 200 million based on term shift from World Bank and China. 
“You create money to run the economy. And how can I support this? I stand to let you know as a present Governor of Akwa Ibom State, where would I have gotten cash to set up an airline where no state in the entire Africa runs an airline except Akwa Ibom? 
“It is creativity, ideas and how to create money because especially the H220 series aircraft that we have, you need to know how much you need to put down for you to get one.
“It speaks a lot about a man who has vision. A man that the world will recognize his signature, so when it comes to foreign policy, your voice will make a difference in your economy. 
“Whenever the economy is in trouble, what people look out for is what information do you have for the economy. 
“Once you drop the information, the economy will react positively or negatively. Tell me in all the situations in this country, what information have we ever dropped from the centre that has helped the economy. Not even one.”
The Chairman of the PDP BoT, Waleed Jibrin, commended Emmanuel for the great transformation that he carried out in Akwa Ibom State.