The presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu has mocked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, saying he won’t be a part-time president who will share his time between Dubai and Nigeria.
Tinubu Shades Atiku
Atiku had spent most of his time in Dubai after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the 2019 election.
During an interactive session with members of the popular Tijjaniyyah sect, Tinubu said he won’t rule from Dubai but would concentrate his attention and energy on surmounting Nigeria’s pressing challenges.
He said, “Let me ask, which one you will take. Here is the right hand giving you 100 percent, the other hand is giving you 50 percent. I am sure you will take 100 percent.
“I am the only one that gives you 100 percent. I promise 100 percent. I will give you 100 percent. Even Dubai is 50 percent. We will be better than Dubai. We are giving you a blueprint that is progressive.”
Tinubu, in a statement by his Media Office and signed by Tunde Rahman, also said his plans were improved electricity, security, giving agriculture full attention, including provision and completion of dams and improved quality education for Nigerians.
He also met with business leaders from Northern Nigeria Saturday night in Kano, where he assured the business community of a better business environment through implementation of well thought-out policies that would revive dead and ailing manufacturing companies in Kano and across the country.
Assuring the northern business leaders of a better business environment with well-thought-out policies that would revitalise industries and open up new opportunities, Tinubu identified the link between Kano as a centre of commerce and his economic plan for Nigeria.
Tinubu said, “There is a strong nexus between the place of Kano as a centre of prosperity and my plan for Nigeria. What I pledge is a revamped economy, which will renew the hope of our people. Our country needs multiple centres of prosperity, and we intend to achieve that by adding value across all sectors of our economy.
“As I said during my speech at the Arewa House on Monday, Nigeria is sitting on a goldmine. There is no state in Nigeria that is lacking in one resource or the other.
“We are determined to explore and exploit these resources to the maximum benefits of our people. Kano, for example, has huge agricultural potentials and important mineral resources underneath its ground like gold, silver, nickel, tin ore and columbite. Each of these, if properly harnessed, can add significantly to our economy as a country.”
Tinubu added that, Kano’s arable land and its comparative advantage in agriculture would be further expanded to make the state and northern region industrial hubs in sub-Saharan Africa.
He said, “The state’s vast arable land and other agricultural potentials, if added to its population, will make Kano a force to reckon with in sub-saharan African agro-market. Those who listened to my speech in Kaduna would have heard about my plan for agriculture.
“Aside working with the private sector to make input available that would guarantee greater yield, among other incentives, we will ensure all categories of farmers have easy access to finance through appropriate government and private sector initiatives.
“We have seen the wonders from the CBN Anchor Borrowers Programme, and the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative. We will consolidate on those gains. Kano’s famous dams such as Tiga, Chalawa Gorge, Thomas, Kusalla, etc that are not being maximally tapped will get special attention from my government.
“We will invest in the expansion of irrigation land, channelisation of the water, among other initiatives that will ensure we cultivate these lands all year round.
“We will not stop in investing and boosting our agricultural potentials, we will add value throughout the value chain. Through Commodity Exchange markets, we will link markets like Dawanau in Kano and Gujungu in Jigawa with international markets and boost return on investment for our farmers.
“The overall aim is to move the nation from import oriented to export oriented economy, where grains from Kano will be exported to world market rather than us buying from other countries.
“I know of the commercial exploits of some of you, traders and businessmen in Kwari Textile Market, Sabongari Market, Singer Market and the famous grain market in Dawanau, which transacts with the rest of West Africa. These commercial activities alone can provide the state with enough IGR to maintain itself with the right support and policies.
“Beyond trading and commerce, I have a special interest in addressing the problem of the dead or comatose Kano industrial estates in Sharada, Bompai, Panshekara, Jogana, etc, which were vibrant in 70s and 80s. We understand the reason why those companies collapsed and we have a plan to revive them and make them competitive.
“We will provide incentives for industrial development nationwide through institutions like the Bank of Industry. There will be a deliberate policy to create industrial hubs and free zones specific to every region.
“For Kano, we will give attention to agro-allied industries such as textiles, tomato paste, rice processing, animal feeds, etc, in line with the state’s competitive advantages.”
KanyiDaily recalls that Bola Tinubu had described Atiku Abubakar as ungrateful for constituting himself as his ‘greatest rival’ instead of endorsing him.
