By Peter Omopo
Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has urged President Bola Tinubu to lead by example by replacing his foreign-made official vehicles with locally manufactured ones, such as Innoson or Nord, in line with the newly approved “Nigeria First” policy.
Atiku, in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said such a symbolic move would do more to strengthen Nigeria’s local industries than lengthy policy documents.
His remarks come days after the Federal Executive Council approved the “Nigeria First” policy, which mandates that government procurement prioritize locally produced goods and services. The policy is expected to be backed by an executive order.
Announcing the new direction on Monday, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the policy aims to reorient government spending towards promoting domestic production and reducing reliance on imports.
“This seeks to foster a bold and confident Nigerian business culture. It’s about investing in our people and industries by changing how we spend and build our economy,” Idris stated.
In his reaction, Atiku called on President Tinubu to deepen the commitment to this policy by also ending the trend of traveling abroad for medical treatment.
“If we truly want to promote self-reliance, the President must also commit to undergoing all his medical check-ups within Nigerian hospitals,” he added.
