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A Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called for a debate, on the economy, among all the presidential aspirants on the economy.Photo Atiku ? this man looks like a Hitman sha

Abubakar, a former vice-President, made the call after submitting his nomination form at the PDP national secretariat on Tuesday in Abuja.

The Adamawa State- born politician said the economy should be the main issue in the 2011 election campaigns.

“The issue of economic recovery for Nigeria cannot be a matter of wishful thinking nor of rhetoric. It is a subject for rigorous analyses and provision of well-thought, viable, practicable and sustainable strategy,” he said.

Abubakar said that all aspirants must be able to tell Nigerians how they intended to confront the challenges of the economy and reposition it for the benefit of all at the shortest possible time.

He said, “Of all the aspirants that have declared interest in the presidential election, I consider myself the most qualified to address the daunting economic challenges facing the country.

“I am the only one who has successfully managed a business and you need extensive knowledge of the private sector to combine its potential with the authority of the public sector to address this challenge.”

The former vice-president said his approach to resolving the economic crisis in the country was contained in a 47-page Policy Document he presented on August 15, 2010 while announcing his intention to contest the 2011 presidential poll.

He said, “We are faced with a job crisis of monumental proportions. Unless we evolve strategies to dealing with the teeming population of young people churned out almost on a daily basis, we may risk the destruction of the next generation.

“If we fail to channel the energies of this huge population, they could be a potent force for instability and social unrest.”

Abubakar, however, stunned journalists when he said that he was not aware that the President had declared his intention to vie for the PDP ticket.

“I didn’t see it (declaration). Honestly, I didn’t watch it,” he said.

Twenty seven out of the 28 PDP governors were among thousands of people that attended Jonathan’s presidential declaration at the Eagle Square on Saturday in Abuja. The event was shown live by some public and private television stations nationwide.

On the reported move by some politicians to produce a consensus presidential candidate among the Northern aspirants, Abubakar said, “There is a process for the emergence of a consensus candidate in the North. It shows that North is even more united if “they” agree to bring out a consensus candidate.”

He also said he was not aware of the support that Jonathan was getting from the northern states.

Reacting to the challenge, the Presidential Adviser to Jonathan on National Assembly Matters, Senator Mohammed Abba-Aji, said the President was ready for such a debate.

“We are ready for it (debate) anytime. The President has talked about all the aspects of the economy when he declared. If they want more, we are ready for them,” he said.

Another aspirant, who is also the Kwara State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, also expressed readiness for the debate.

“We are ready for the debate. That is what we have been calling for. Without such an issue-based debate, we will not be able to get the best candidate. Saraki is ready for it,” one of the governor’s aides, Mr. Billy Adedamola, said.

From JAMES OJO and AARON OSSAI, Abuja

House of Representatives yesterday applauded the Nigerian Army for deploying troops to secure the arrival of President Umaru Yar’Adua from Saudi Arabia, even without the knowledge of Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.

Defending the action of the military to denounce the confirmation of coup threat, the House noted that deployment of troops by the Brigade of Guards was a mere routine exercise.

Spokesman of House, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, denied that the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, nor any member confirmed that there was a threat to truncate democratic rule when the House met behind closed door on Tuesday.

According to him, the House recognized the commitments of the military as one of the pillars on which democracy stands and that the leadership of the Armed Forces had clearly demonstrated uncommon loyalty to the Federal Government.

“Neither the institution of the office of the speaker, or the speaker himself, or any member insinuated any fact pertaining to coup plot during the executive session. “Instead, the House commended the Armed Forces for their diligence and commitment to democracy,” he stated.

Eyiboh noted that the report of coup threat in the media was in the imagination of the writer, urging journalists to show greater restraint in reporting the challenges facing the nation.

His counterparts in the Committee on Defence, Hon. Oluwole Oke, remarked that the current leadership of the Armed Forces deserve praises for remaining steadfast in the face of provocation.

According to him, the deployment of troops by the Brigade of Guards was purely routine, which can be done without the approval of the acting president. Likewise, Hon. Umar Bature, chairman of Committee on Foreign Affairs said it was not fair for anybody to allude that the House discussed the issue of coup threat at the closed door meeting.

As a retired army officer, he said the Brigade of Guards is mandated to protect the office of the president and commander-in-chief, hence there was nothing wrong in deploying troops to secure the arrival of President Yar’Adua from Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the office of the Speaker Dimeji Bankole has denied a report in a national daily that he confirmed the threat of coup on Tuesday. Special Adviser to the Speaker on Communications, Kayode Odunaro, said the report was not attributed to Dimeji Bankole, or any named member of the House..

According to him, the issues discussed in an executive (closed door) session of the House was based on the utterances of Professor Dora Akunyili, minister of Information and a motion relating to the deployment of troops for the arrival of President Umaru Yar’Adua from Saudi Arabia.

“We state with all emphasis that at no point in the session did the speaker confirm a ‘coup threat’ or plot as speculatively reported in the lead story and we challenge the reporter to provide proof or name any member or members that confirmed a coup threat.