Abuja — Immediate past President of the Senate, and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, David Mark, yesterday obtained the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, EINF, to run for the Office of the President in the 2019 general elections.
Mark, who turned up at the party's headquarters accompanied by several aides and political associates, dressed in black trousers, black shoes and a plain white long sleeve shirt which he folded neatly to the wrists, declared that his Blueprint Tagged "730" has an economic model capable of turning the economy around within two years.
The lawmaker who has been in the senate since 1999, promised to restructure the country if given the mandate to lead, noting that "irrespective of our political persuasions, it is incontrovertible that restructuring of the nation is an idea which time has come."
He also promised to tackle headlong, the sundry challenges affecting the nation, saying "I believe it (restructuring) will further strengthen our bond of brotherhood and unity more than ever before, because everyone would have a sense of belonging and live in harmony in any part of Nigeria without any fear of molestation and intimidation."
If given the opportunity, the lawmaker explained that his "Blueprint Tagged "730" will address critical areas currently in need of attention, stressing "Specifically, we will deal with poverty, unemployment and neglect which have forced some of our young people to undertake the very risky route of going through the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea in their quest for greener pastures in Europe."
He described the 730 economic model as a strategy capable of turning the economy around within two years, adding that youths will be the drivers of the process.
On what stands him out from other aspirants, Senator Mark said, "The issue is that the party has zoned the presidential vacancy to the North. Whether you are from North East, North West or North Central, we are all northerners. And I think that is what qualifies me in the first place. Secondly, I think I have something to offer. I have a wealth of experience in administration. And you recognize that I was also President of the Senate for eight years. So, I think I have garnered a lot of experience to be able to move the country in the direction that all Nigerians want. And that is the direction of prosperity, good economic policies, reduction in the level of insecurity, gets Nigerians to become very proud citizens, create job opportunities for the teeming youths and change the economy.
Meanwhile, former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, yesterday returned his Presidential nomination forms to the leadership of the PDP.
Represented by the Director General of the Bafarawa Presidential Campaign, Council, Senator Paul Wampana, the presidential hopeful called for free and fair elections in 2019, adding that anything short of credible polls would not augur well for democracy in the land.
