Ogbonnaya Onu, one of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirants, on Wednesday, pledged to deploy science, technology and innovation to unlock Nigeria’s prosperity.
Onu, a former minister of science and technology, said Africa’s largest economy is blessed with numerous resources and huge potential that can be used to make the country great and self-reliant as it can’t continue to depend on other countries to solve its problems.
Addressing delegates in Benin City ahead of the party’s primaries scheduled to hold between June 6 and June 8, the presidential hopeful said Nigeria must move from a consumer nation to a producer nation in order to create wealth, jobs and take its citizens out of poverty.
The former minister, represented by Saliu Momoh, Edo State coordinator of the Ogbonnaya Onu campaign organization, said he has what it takes when it comes to knowledge, experience, credibility and integrity to preside over the nation’s seat of power.
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“We have the key to unlock the prosperity of our dear nation. This key is a knowledge economy driven by science, technology and innovation. This is so, because no nation has ever become truly great, whether in ancient or modern times, without the efficient and effective deployment of science, technology and innovation to nation building.
“We are better equipped to solve these problems ourselves. This is the road that we have to take. This is the road that science, technology and innovation will make possible for us to take.
“We must produce many of the things that we need and use as a people. We have all it takes to achieve this. It is by doing this that we can create wealth and enough jobs for our people, fight and defeat poverty, create wealth and prosperity for our nation.
“I have a dream that Nigeria will one day lead the world. Let no one tell us that it cannot be done because if we cannot achieve it, our children can, if our children cannot achieve it, then our grandchildren will,” Onu said.
He, therefore, called on Edo state delegates and other party faithful across the country to support his quest so he can emerge as the party’s candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
