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From Mohammed Abubakar, Dutse
President Bola Tinubu has promised Nigerians reliable power supply, functional education and job security if given another mandate in the next four years.
The president made the declaration while addressing the Jigawa State edition of the presidential campaign in Dutse Township Stadium, the state capital, on Tuesday.
According to the President, “Nigeria needs stable power supply and this is what we promise to give Nigerians. Besides, we are set to revive the agricultural sector in order to enhance food security and make food available at cheap prices for all Nigerians.
“I’m promising you that we’re working very hard to ensure that we combat insecurity, which has become the greatest enemy of the country. We will do so through, among others, enhancing their salaries and making sure we reorganise our security by adequately equipping them.”
The President, who spoke on his administration’s achievements in the education sector, listed the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme, which has provided opportunities for children of all backgrounds to access tertiary education without sweat, in addition to the stabilised academic calendar which his administration has put in place.
He said the universities and other research institutions were properly funded and equipped to make them functional and live up to their expectations, so as to enable them to provide the necessary professional services to enhance food production for Nigerians.
Without mentioning names, Tinubu called on Nigerians to ignore those planning to return the subsidy on fuel, telling them that the fuel subsidy had gone forever and would not return. He said, “Don’t listen to those who are promising to return fuel subsidy, they’re liars. How do you build more roads? How do you repair the old ones? They don’t have your interest at heart, they only want to take care of their pockets and that of their children.”
The President highlighted the achievements his administration has recorded in the area of road construction as well as rail transport, noting that an additional four years for his government would ensure that some of the projects started would be completed and new ones initiated.
Tinubu lauded the achievements of the state governor, Umar Namadi, in transforming the fortunes of the state, and called on the people of Jigawa State to [vote] for the governor for a second term to enable him [complete] the projects he had started.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who also addressed the gathering, expressed satisfaction with the level of attendance at the rally, which he attributed to the quality of leadership of Namadi, and urged the people of the state to ensure that the governor was returned for a second term.
Sen. Shettima, who listed the past governors of the state who were working for President Tinubu, said: “Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar is working for Mr President, in fact, let me tell you even Sule Lamido is working for Tinubu.” This revelation drew roaring laughter from the audience.
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Sen. Shettima, who threw a direct jab at some of the opposition leaders, particularly a former Rivers State governor and vice presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, said he (Amaechi) was not grateful.
He alluded to the recent media interview granted by the former Transportation Minister, in which he was reportedly quoted as claiming that the late President had promised to hand over to him but failed to do so. According to him, despite what the late President did for him, he had to criticise him.
The Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) and former Zamfara State governor, Sen. Abdulaziz Yari, described as misplaced the criticism of Tinubu as a leader biased against the north, challenging people with such a notion to come out with their facts.
According to him, on the contrary, the President has always been with the north throughout his political career. He cited the President’s support for some northern political figures, including the former Vice President and ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the late President Muhammadu Buhari, all of whom he promoted and whose separate presidential ambitions he supported.
Besides, he argued that not renewing the President’s tenure in the 2027 general elections would amount to the north failing to keep to the terms of the gentlemen’s agreement of rotating power between the north and south, adding: “We in the north are reputed for keeping similar agreements in the past, and 2027 should not be an exception.”
The host governor, Namadi, [thanked] the president for finding time to attend the rally in Jigawa and also commission some of the development projects initiated and completed by his administration. The governor said the President’s physical presence was in recognition of the [love] of the President for the people of the state.
The governor, who expressed appreciation for the President’s intervention in some critical areas, such as agriculture, roads and water supply, assured the President that the state was solidly behind him and promised to deliver 2 million out of the registered 2.3 million votes that the state has.
Among the high-powered leaders of the APC who addressed the gathering were the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni; the Presidential Adviser on Political Matters, Alhaji Ibrahim Kabiru Masari; and the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Imo State Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, whose speech was anchored in Hausa by the Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu.
A highlight of the occasion was the virtual commissioning by the President of some of the projects executed by the Namadi administration.
The projects commissioned by the President included the Renewed Hope Technical Services, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Multi-purpose Skill Acquisition Centre, 400 tractors with complete implements, 60 combine harvesters, 150 [item unclear] and seeders, as well as the newly constructed 3.5-kilometre dual Garu road leading to the Emir of Dutse’s palace.
