…Vows to pull 100m out of poverty by 2030 if

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has attributed the increasing insecurity challenge in Nigeria to the handiwork of some mischievous politicians who are bent on setting the country into chaos.

Bello, a Presidential aspirant, however, assured that if elected as Nigeria’s next President in 2023 his administration will pull out over 100 million Nigerians out of the poverty level by the year 2030.

Bello stated this on Friday, in his address and while fielding questions from journalists at the Second Annual GYB, Seminar for Nigeria’s Political and Crime Correspondents, a two-day event, being held in Abuja.

He said that he would not tolerate buck-passing but ensure that Governors take responsibility for security in their states and are held responsible for breaches when he becomes the President of Nigeria in 2023.

While noting that President Muhammadu Buhari could not be in every state of the federation ensuring the security of lives and property when there are chief executives in place in the states, he, however, said states would be empowered to rise to the challenges.

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He assured Nigerians that he would not play politics with the security challenges in the country because it was a result of the failure of various successive administrations in the past.

He said, “I refused to politicise insecurity. Buhari is a man who loves truth and reality. I will let you know that Mr President loves this country.

“This insecurity is not a thing of Mr President even though we shouldn’t pass the buck because that is why we came on board. It is a successive failure of various administrations.

“Let me remind us once again that certain military and police hardware were non-existent or was last purchased in the administration of former President Shehu Shagari.

“After the bomb blast incident in Ikeja cantonment, did Nigerians ask whether the arms and ammunition that detonated and killed some people were ever replaced since then?

“After the various decays, the foundation was shaky and the President spent a lot of money to buy equipment. The President will not sit in the Villa and hold an AK-47 to come and secure my schools and roads.

“Some of these crimes that we see today are more than what we see on the surface. I will never come out here and point out the flaws. Whatever I observe, in terms of loopholes and lapses, it is between myself and the President to let him know.

“I will never be that governor who will come out and tell that the President did not secure my schools and roads.

“That is why as the Chief Security Officer of Kogi, I ensure that I brought the rate of crime from the zenith to the floor and the President is assisting me to succeed in that area.

“I am sincere about fighting crimes and criminality. If all of us as Chief Executives are doing what we are supposed to do, Mr President’s job would have been easier.

“But if I become the President, I will ensure that every Chief Executive of the various federating units sit up and do their jobs. I will not tolerate any lackadaisical attitude or passing of the buck to the centre. I will ensure that various federating units are strengthened.

“Majority of some of these crimes are politically motivated, especially the recent ones we are witnessing. However, the issue of security can never be brought out to the public so you would not expose your country to danger.”

On alleviating the suffering of Nigerians economically, Bello stated, “My target, vision and mission is to bring over 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by the year 2030 if elected as President of Nigeria in 2023.”

.Tasks media on agenda-setting

Earlier, the governor stressed the need for good leadership depending on the type of agenda set for the political space by the media.

Bello said the media should set proper agenda for the country as the general election fast approaches closer.

He noted that since no development can be achieved without security, journalists should do more to expose the ills of society so as to address them.

Bello said though other countries are confronted with greater security challenges, “Nigeria is still one of the countries giving hope to the hopeless.”

The governor, therefore, warned journalists against fake news which he said has contributed to the problems facing the country.

Vanguard News Nigeria