Atiku Tells Nigerians: Reject Any Candidate That Plays Politics With Climate Change

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has advised Nigerians to reject any candidate that plays politics with the issue of climate change.

CityNews reports Atiku stated this on Wednesday after his visit to Bayelsa State to sympathise with the victims of the floods that have damaged lives, livelihoods, and property across the nation.

The former Vice President opined that one of the ways to address flooding and other natural disasters is by electing leaders who are passionate about climate change.

Atiku stressed the need to dredge the rivers and estuaries across the nation through which inland waters empty into the sea to stem flooding in the Niger Delta.

He added that climate change is real and charged governments at all levels to activate measures to forestall expected food shortages and high cost of food.

“If we get our politics wrong by electing leaders who choose to play politics with climate change, and refuse to make necessary investments in smart solutions, we will be living in the relics of times past, unmindful of our attendant vulnerabilities,” he said.

Atiku accused the President Muhammadu Buhari administration of not showing leadership and empathy in the management of the disastrous 2022 flooding.

He promised to retool disaster awareness apparatus, such as Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NHSA), to better forecast and provide warning signals.

The PDP flagbearer also hinted that the Nigerian Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) should be reformed for adequate preparation and response.

Atiku said attention would be given to the Dasin-Hausa Dam in Adamawa State to manage the release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.

He, however, made a plea for the establishment of a temporary fund for farmers to ameliorate their losses and give them capital for the 2023 planting season.