Jigawa hosts Tinubu Tuesday

From Mohammed Abubakar, Dutse

Preparations are in top gear as Jigawa State is set to host President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is scheduled to pay a one-day visit to the state on Tuesday.

During the visit, the president is expected to commission some development projects initiated by the administration of Governor Umar Namadi and to attend the state edition of the presidential campaign rally ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Activities are already at fever pitch in Dutse, the state capital, as officials put finishing touches to some of the projects billed for commissioning.

Namadi expressed satisfaction with the preparations ahead of the presidential visit, which he described as a demonstration of the president’s love for the people of Jigawa State.

Speaking to newsmen after conducting an on-the-spot assessment of the facilities at the rally ground at Dutse Township Stadium, Namadi said he was satisfied with the level of arrangements so far, but admitted that there was still more work to be done.

His words: “Alhamdulillah, we’ve gone round all the projects scheduled for commissioning by Mr President and the rally venue and from all we’ve seen, we’re comfortable that we’re ready for Mr President, though work is still ongoing, corrections are being effected.

“As you can see, some officials from the Mr President’s office have identified some areas that require corrections and we’re making sure that those corrections are effected. On the whole, I can say confidently that Jigawa is ready for Mr President.”

The projects to be commissioned by the president, according to Namadi, include the Renewed Hope Technical Services, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Multi-purpose Skill Acquisition Centre, 400 tractors with complete implements, 60 combine harvesters, 150 seeders, as well as the newly constructed dual carriageway Garu road leading to the Emir of Dutse’s palace.

“Though we have so many other projects to be commissioned, as you know, Mr President’s schedule is very tight and, therefore, we have only selected projects which are within the metropolis and close to each other.”

The governor gave a firm assurance of the security of the visitors. According to him, “the security arrangement is very perfect. We’ve just had a security meeting with the security chiefs and I can confirm that everything is OK.”

Asked about his expectations of the people of Jigawa State, the governor said: “Jigawa is for Mr President, so all we need to tell Jigawa people is that Mr President is coming. Once we tell them that, for sure they’ll come out en masse to welcome him, so really we don’t need to call on Jigawa people because they’re Mr President’s people and Mr President is for Jigawa people. So, certainly Jigawa and its people are ready to receive Mr President.”

Meanwhile, amid the ongoing legal tussle involving the David Mark leadership of the main opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Jigawa State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised the party to look elsewhere for the source of its problem rather than heaping the blame on the APC.

The state chairman of the APC, Hon. Garba Ahmad Maikudi, speaking with reporters on Sunday, exonerated the APC from blame in last week’s court judgment which sacked the ADC leadership, reminding the ADC that the court was an independent institution, just like the political parties.

According to Maikudi, a one-time deputy speaker of the state House of Assembly, the APC does not consider the ADC a threat and therefore could not have interfered in its internal matters or influenced any external party.

He said: “I don’t believe that we’re interfering in any party’s matter. I think you’re referring to the ADC matter. Let me tell you that, in Nigeria, we do not recognise the ADC as a threat to us. But if the ruling party wants to interfere in other political parties, it could be either in the Labour Party or the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

“But remember that the court is an independent institution, just as the political parties are independent entities, so I don’t believe that there’s any form of interference from the ruling party, the government at the centre, if there’s any, as you’re speculating. But we’ve reached a situation whereby anything that happens, they’d blame the ruling party, but as far as the APC is concerned, it’s about the court and not the APC.”

The chairman expressed confidence in the party’s ability to win the forthcoming general elections in the state.