…assures crisis ‘ll be over soon

… wealthy politicians not releasing money- Bago, Niger APC guber candidate

…says fuel scarcity, economic sabotage

By Levinus Nwabughiogu-Abuja

Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello has conveyed the concerns of the Nigerian State Governors over the twin challenges of new naira notes and the fuel scarcity, however assuring that the situation would ebb soon.

Expressing his dissatisfaction with the development which had brought queues at the commercial banks and the filling stations, further subjecting the people to hardship and hopelessness, Bello said the governors also felt for the people.

The governor spoke in Abuja during a book launch and fund raising dinner for the Niger State gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Mohammed Umaru Bago.

He however said that the people were determined to overcome the challenges.

He said: “We’re all worried. The governors are all worried over what is happening, but all these will end one day. Where there is a will, there is always a means.

“With the determination and will of the people, we would make it. The problems would pass. All the governors of Nigeria are concerned about what is going on. We feel for our citizens”.

Bello also said that the APC governorship candidate who is the member representing Chanchaga Federal Constituency of the State in the House of Representatives and his running mate, Comrade Yakubu Garba were collectively chosen by the people during the party’s primaries.

He charged them to remain prayerful, saying they would emerged victorious in the March 11 polls.

“The people of Niger have spoken and I deliberately refused to get involved in the primaries. Even with all the pressure to get involved, I said let the people speak. When you allow the will of the people to speak, you would not have problems in the general elections.

“You are going to emerge winner after the general elections, insha Allah. You allow people to decide what you want. The people have chosen you. As we are now, as far as this project, I won’t be wrong if I say we are just waiting for time.

“We need all the prayers and support. We brought you to support his process and you will never regret it. For those of you that have the means to support this cause to the fullest, it is an investment worth it”, Bello said.

Also speaking, the National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Adamu, represented at the event by the Vice Chairman, North Central, Alhaji Muhazu Bawa Rijau urged the people to support Bago.

“We are confident we will win the general elections,” he said.

Similarly, the Director, APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) Diaspora Directorate, Prince Ade Omole called for all hands to be on deck for APC’s victory.

He said “I strongly believe you are the incoming governor and would support you. Please when you win, ensure that you remember the people of Niger. Ensure you continue to build on the solid foundation of Governor Sani Bello. Ensure you uplift the people of Niger State.

“It is not in the bag until it is in the bag. Go out and ensure to work hard to get him in as the next governor. We should not take it for granted. We know he has done a lot. He is a good man, a man loved by his people, but please let us not take it for granted. Work hard and ensure his victory at the next election. Let us go out of our way to make sure he is sworn in.

“When he is sworn in, the people would tell him what needs to be known and not what he wants to hear. Tell him the problems and issues they are going through. It is about the people of Niger State at the end of the day.”

Speaking with journalists at the event, Bago said that most politicians with money were not releasing it even as he described the fuel scarcity as an economic sabotage.

He said: “It’s generic, of course we are concerned. People who are advising for the redesign of Naira and implementation of the policy are not being considerate of the plight of the people. Politicians who have money are not releasing funds so they don’t care whether you change money or you don’t change money. That is number one.

“Number two; the fuel scarcity is purely sabotage. I appeal to the government of the day to make sure that enforces or put agencies in charge of this industry at work so that there will be availability of fuel. The triumph of evil is short so by the grace of God, it will be over”.

Bago said that the event was to help raise funds for their campaigns.

While promising good governance to better the lot of the people, the candidate added that he would tackle insecurity in the state frontally.

“As you know very well our candidature is for the people. So we need to raise funds to support our candidature. Our supporters who are the masses don’t have funding, we need to come out and look for those who will help us with funding so we will be able to take care of logistics for the campaign.

“We will want to bring new change to Niger state. We want to rebrand Niger so that we can be one of the strong economies in Nigeria. As you are aware, Niger state is the largest state in Nigeria in terms of landmass. We have 76, 000 square kilometers of arable land, we have hydropower stations in Niger and yet we don’t have irrigation dams in Niger. So, we only wait for raining season, we want to be an agriculture giant in this country and an industrial giant for that matter.

“We want to collaborate with the traditional institutions very importantly to curb the insecurity. We traveled around Niger for the campaigns, we have seen how people live and how our brushes are and how our local governments are. There is need for the government at the centre in the state to connect with the traditional institutions and the local institutions to curb insecurity and by the grace of God it will be a thing of the past”, he said.

Bago’s Strategic Policy Document and campaign manifesto were also unveiled at the occasion.