2023: I won’t take loan as President, says Jack-Rich

All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant Tein Jack-Rich has vowed not to take loans if elected President.

He spoke in Abuja on Friday night while formally declaring his intention to contest for the country’s presidency in 2023.

Jack-Rich, who expressed optimism he would win the presidential primary of the ruling party slated for May 30, promised to provide 26,000 jobs in each of the local government areas of the country.

The presidential hopeful said Nigeria is a great country with an enormous amount of youth-based talent, saying the only talent that could be developed was through a knowledge-based economy.

Jack-Rich said: “For example, we can create what we call the digital City. In the South-west we have discovered that we can create what we call the Health Tech Center to look at medical care and in the South-east, we have also discovered that we can establish what we call the technology there.

“In that way, we will be able to ensure that our young boys and girls who go to university can also have certain skills to provide the needed knowledge base, and value to grow the local economy.

“And then also help our GDP. We’ve also looked at the North-East and North-West from North Central, but beyond that, we feel that it’s important as part of our strategy to open up the economy.”

He promised to leverage the oil and gas sectors as a major catalyst the country needs to activate industrial development.

He said: “I’m promising you that by 2023. We have a master plan to move oil production to 3 million barrels. And not only that, but we also have the master plan in such a manner that we can look at the low-hanging fruits where we’re losing our oil and gas resource values and then provide technology-based infrastructure.

READ ALSO: Jack-Rich joins presidential race
“So, operators will be advised to contribute their fair share. In that way, we will be able to earn the best in oil and gas production and be able to refine what we consume.”

He added: “As we speak right now, Nigeria is the largest economy on the continent of Africa. We are not part of the G20.

“We need a president that can engage the G7 Economist. You need a president that can stand with these advanced economies and negotiate your place in the community of nations.

“You need a president that when you travel outside this country and you flip your international passport ID card, you will be respected and honoured.

“You need a president that can speak to Elon Musk to come to Nigeria and invest. You need a president that can speak to Bill Gates, not to give us aides, but give us technology-based centres, so we can grow.”

Jack-Rich said if elected, his administration would change the political and economic landscape narrative of the country to give it (Nigeria) a voice in the community of Nations.

“All I need is the right, coherent, consistent physical policy with the right legislation to back it up so that we can begin to make policies to establish economic footprints.”

“I won’t take a single loan throughout my presidency.”

The presidential aspirant said if elected he would not make policies that would not be backed up with legislation that would guarantee investors’ capital.