Mr. Bola Tinubu who is the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has vowed to devote 100 percent of his time and energy to the service of Nigeria and its citizens if he becomes President stressing that he would not be like other candidates that would share time shuttling between living in Dubai and Nigeria.
The former governor of Lagos State, who boasted that he was only a few steps to becoming the president, pledged to concentrate his full attention and energy in confronting the nation’s pressing challenges and surmounting them.
He made this assertion while addressing members of the Tijjaniyya Islamic sect at a consultative meeting at the Kano State Government House.
While quoting Nigeria’s erstwhile national anthem, he stressed the need for Nigerians to be united in brotherhood despite their differences.
Deploying a series of innuendos, he described Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a national divider, recalling that when he was recently asked about the subject, he responded that he was from the North.
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Tinubu vowed a total dedication to the fight against insecurity, banditry, kidnapping, killings, and all forms of vices undermining Nigeria and tackle poverty to a standstill.
Members of the Tijjaniyyah sect led by Sheikh Bashir Tijjani Usman Zangon Bareebah had presented a list of issues, which it wanted the APC presidential candidate to address when he gets to office.
The demands included improved electricity, security, giving agriculture full attention including provision and completion of dams and improved quality education for Nigerians.
Responding, Tinubu noted that answers to some of the demands were contained in his manifesto. While assuring northern business leaders of conducive 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.
He said: ‘I promise to devote 100 percent of my time and energy to serving Nigeria. You will have it better with me, not 50 per cent in Dubai in the United Arab Emirate, 50 percent in Nigeria. 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, Nigeria is sitting on a goldmine. There is no state in Nigeria that is lacking in one resources 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.’
He 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.