Chief Servant’s re-election campaign takes off

From BALA B. BITRUS, MINNA

Posted: Sunday, February 13, 2011

THE reelection campaign of Governor Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger state yesterday took off in grand style in Minna. Former Nigeria’s President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Alex Ekweme and Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative at the United Nations, the Dan Masanin Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule all added colour to the flag off.
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and his Vice, Arch. Mohammed Namadi Sambo, were represented at the occasion by the Minister of Information and Communications, Mr. Labaran Maku who spoke the mind of the President.
The President said Niger State would continue to remain vital in the country’s polity because of its pivotal place and contributions to the entity called Nigeria. He said the position of the state was therefore crucial in national politics and the framework of development of the country.
President Jonathan noted that because of the crucial importance of the state, the present administration had set aside $600 million for power generation and the completion of the construction of the Kagara Dam.
The federal government, according to him, had set aside $300 million for the construction of a new hydro electricity power station at Zungeru to further boost power generation in the country. Work on the completion of the thirty six years old abandoned Kagara Dam would be concluded with another release of over $1.5 million to complete the project.
President Jonathan disclosed that the federal government has also set aside another $300 million for the commencement of work on the phase II of the Gurara Hydro Dam and its irrigation facilities.
He said the government had also concluded plans for the construction of a Dry Port at Baro area of Niger State at the completion of the ongoing dredging of the River Niger. All these, according to the President, were to add greater value to Niger state for its holistic support to the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and the federal government’s programmes in the last four years especially.
Immediate past president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, while speaking on the need for a better Nigeria, insisted that there is no problem with the entity called Nigeria.
He said the problem however was that of leadership and of followers which must be redressed for the country to move forward. Obasanjo expressed growing confidence on Nigeria, saying there cannot be a better place than Nigeria adding that Nigerians alone can make the country better.