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By Haruna Aliyu, Birnin Kebbi

The former Head of Service of Kebbi state Alhaji Abubakar Udu Idris(mni) speaks to Vanguard on politics and the state of the nation: excerpts

 CAN WE MEET YOU

As usual, my name is Abubakar Udu Idris and I am the Kebbi state guber candidate of the people’s redemption party (PRP)  i have worked with many military administrators since in Sokoto state and some in Kebbi, i have served as permanent secretary at various ministries before I was appointed the head of service in Kebbi state.

AFTER A SUCCESSFUL CIVIL SERVICE CAREER AND YOU ARE ALSO A RENOWNED TECHNOCRAT, WHY DID YOU JOIN POLITICS AND WHY WAS PRP NOT PDP OR APC

Yes from the onset I have been an admirer of the people’s redemption party while in the university, so after civil service I decided to join politics based on the advice of a man of integrity professor Attahiru Jega, that is one, two PRP is the only party with ideology and does not belong to any persons or group, while the so-called two parties the ruling APC and the opposition people’s democratic party belongs to cabals who calls the shots and you must bow to the cabals to get to where you wants to be, so interest of masses and developments is not their priority, their target is to get to the corridors of power to govern at will, as far as iam concerned they are only to parties in Nigeria PRP and others.

WHY DO YOU THINK KEBBI ELECTORATES WILL VOTE FOR YOU COME 2023

The failure of the ruling APC which is glaring will cause Kebbi electorates to vote for PRP and PDP six years also showed that, they dont have anything to offer when they lost to APC the country wasnt good then so both parties have failed the masses test because they dont have ideology and no plans for the people except that of amassing wealth through fraudulent means.

Back home in Kebbi, go to the state capitals of  some states same age of creations with Kebbi you will agree with me Birnin Kebbi the state capital despite its population still looks like a local government headquarters because of the absence of developments, so inshallah we will bring infrastructure into the state capital for the town to answer its name the state capital.

EDUCATION IS KEY TO DEVELOPMENT, TELL US WHAT YOU WILL DO DIFFERENTLY IN THAT SECTOR

Well, they are three basic things that must be done for education to thrive, one is about teachers, teaching aids and teaching environments, first qualified teachers are required, second, the teaching environments which are adequate classrooms in all the schools and materials required for effective teaching after mass recruitments of teachers.

However, if we have enough resources i have this idea of opening mega primary schools in the major towns in order to decongest,   in Kebbi you find a class with over 200 pupils yet one teacher so the mega schools will reduce the pressure and kill the problem of congestion in schools.

 HEALTHCARE DELIVERY IN KEBBI

Yes is critical to human existence, in our first hundred days in office we will address issues of manpower in the health sector and we will build more primary healthcare clinics and dispensaries, is only in Kebbi you will see a dispensary without even a security man, we will address issues of dilapidated health facilities in Kebbi state, i intend to reintroduce free medical care so that our people will no longer be afraid go to public hospitals because they don’t have enough monies otherwise its any longer a public health facility.

HOW DO YOU INTEND TO BOOST STATE REVENUE

Any responsible government should be able to resuscitate moribund industries because they not only bring revenue but create mass employment for our youths so will breath life into our transformer plant, tomatoes, cement and other companies lying waste in the state, some politicians are afraid to do that because they don’t want to displease the business class who are capitalising on the none existence or lack of functionality of those companies to make monies for themselves at the expense of the state and its people so we will do that to boost revenue and reduce unemployment in the state.

STATE OF THE NATION AND SECURITY OF KEBBI STATE IF ELECTED GOVERNOR

Security is the cornerstone of development because without peace no development, within the existing federal security structure we will strengthen the security using the three fundamental aspects which are the traditional, community and religious leaders as we will evolve some form of synergy which we will definitely give us positive results, let me give you an example before now we know each other because when you have a visitor you must inform the community head but now is not so, therefore local policing through the above is inevitable,  vigilantes will be employed so selected by community heads and religious leaders after profiling them and thereafter we will equip them, so these will do to secure Kebbi.

On the state of the nation, I will only say is regrettable as it is lamentable no one and nowhere is safe in Nigeria because there is no political will to do so, bandits and/or terrorists are not above the Nigerian military so it’s funny and disheartening that we cannot sleep with our eyes open.

Thank you for your time, you are welcome.