President Bola Tinubu’s base in the North deepened on Wednesday as the Kebbi State All Progressives Congress (APC) declared support for his second term at a mammoth rally in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
Led by the minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, and Governor Nasir Idris, leaders of the party said Tinubu deserved their support because of the huge number of federal projects he had cited in the state in less than two years of his first term of office.
The party also adopted Idris to fly its flag for a second term in 2027.
Citing 40 ongoing projects worth over N600 billion spread across agriculture, health and education sectors in the state, they said the federal attention was unprecedented.
“President Bola Tinubu has shown that he is a visionary leader with enormous capacity to carry everyone along. He promised to be president for all, and he has practicalised that in all his dealings in the last one and a half years that he has been in office,” Bagudu told the huge party adherents gathered at the Haliru Abdu Multipurpose Stadium in the state capital.
The minister cited the big-ticket federal projects in the state, including the 1,000 km Sokoto (Ilela – Badagry (Agbara) Superhighway (Section 1, Phase 1A) Kebbi section worth N428.3 bn; Rehabilitation and construction of 30 km within the 127 km alignment of Biu-Kangiwa-Kamba-Gaya-Niger Republic Road (N39.6 bn); the construction of Malando Garin Baka Ngaski Wara Road CH.0+000 CH.79+586 (N86.3 bn); and Koko-Besse-Zaria-Kala Road (N13.7 bn).
“For us in Kebbi State, we are grateful for his impactful leadership that is consolidating inclusive economic growth and development across our land and the nation,” he said.
The Birnin Kebbi rally, attended by scores of political heavyweights, including National Assembly members, former governors, and some members of the party’s National Working, increased the gathering of politicians exhibiting support for Tinubu amidst rising speculations that the North might not support his 2027 second term aspiration.
On Sunday, Minister of State for Defence, Mr Bello Matawalle, said contrary to the claim by a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, the North remained solidly behind Tinubu.
The Birni Kebbi massive rally testified to Matawalle’s position. In attendance were the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Hon James Faleke, who stood in for Tinubu; APC National Organising Secretary, Mr Suleiman Argungu; Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Hon Durosimi Meseko; Executive Secretary, National Lottery Commission, Mr Tosin Adeyanju; Senator Bala ibn Na’alla; Senator Mohammed Magoro and former governor of the state, Sai’du Dakingari.
Bagudu said both Tinubu and Idris deserved a second term based on their performances in less than two years of their elections as president and governor.
He said the Tinubu government had done so much to make Nigeria better, explaining that the president had fulfilled his campaign promises to Kebbi State and he was so proud to be associated with him.
He added that in less than two years the federal government had recorded many people-oriented projects in the state.
He said, “Federal government awarded Natisini – Kangiwa – Kamba Road for N35 billion, it did the Malamdo – Ngaski Warah Road, has started work on the Sokoto – Kebbi – Badagry superhighway and Koko-Mahuta – Dabai road respectively all for the benefit of people of Kebbi State.”
While announcing the sum of N450m to the 225 wards in the state to procure food items for the month of Ramadan, he urged people to support the APC government led by Idris in the state and Tinubu at the federal level because of the good work that they were doing to better the live of the people.
Addressing the rally, Governor Idris said the people of Kebbi State were solidly behind President Tinubu because he had brought progress and development to the state. He commended him for the developmental projects the president had brought to the state.
“We can count many things that the president has done for our state. For this, I’m with Tinubu come 2027. When the time comes, we shall see if they think they have the number of people than Tinubu in Kebbi State. Only the person who brought progress to us is our candidate,” the governor said.
Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Muhammadu Ankwe, praised Tinubu for his unprecedented contributions to the infrastructure development of the state, saying the people needed to reciprocate his good deeds with their support.
“Hon Faleke, please tell the President that we are solidly behind him,” he said.
Faleke thanked the gathering for their support for Tinubu and pledged that the president would continue to serve them diligently.
“I thank you for this show of support. I urge you to continue to stand firmly, and I assure you that Tinubu will not disappoint you,” he told the cheering crowd.
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