Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has told President Bola Tinubu that he will get northern votes once he ensures the immediate drilling of Oil from Kolmani oil well in Bauchi/Gombe prospecting area.
Speaking with journalists in Bauchi over the weekend, Dogara said “If President Bola Ahmed Tinubu awards and commences the Bagel Dam and revisits the oil exploration in Bauchi State, he does not need to come for campaigns in Bauchi State for the 2027 presidential campaign as we will all vote for him.”
The Kolmani Integrated Development Project, launched by former President Muhammadu Buhari and situated between Bauchi and Gombe States, is the country’s first inland oil exploration site, aiming to bolster Nigeria’s energy resources and expand economic opportunities.
The project comprises an oil refinery, a gas processing plant, a power plant, and a fertilizer production plant, signalling a comprehensive industrial approach.
However, implementation delays and politics will remain critical factors in actualising the project’s promises.
Dogara, however, emphasised the transformative potential of Kolmani oil exploration for Bauchi State, noting that it could propel the state into the league of oil-producing states.
He added, “There will be more revenue allocation through derivation, while more revenue generation sources will be opened.”
The former Speaker humorously invoked a legislative style to emphasize consensus on the matter: “I will put two questions to you: all those in support should say ‘Ye’ and those against say, ‘Nay.”
He gave the other project as Bagel/Zungur multipurpose dam for water consumption, irrigation and electricity generation estimated to cost N600 billion, which was also hinged to none electioneering towards 2027 polls.
By focusing on these transformative projects, Dogara suggested that Tinubu can cement his political appeal in northern Nigeria, positioning himself as a leader committed to equitable development across the country.
