From John Adams, Minna
In what looks like an endorsement, the Niger State Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has said that the National Leader of All Progressive Congress (APC), Ahmed Bola Tinubu should be allowed to lay for Nigeria, the kind of foundation he laid for Lagos as Governor of Lagos State.
The governor stated this in Minna on Thursday when the former Lagos State Governor was in government house to commensurate with the government and people of the Niger State over the incessant attack on communities by gunmen leading to mass killings of villagers.
The Governor while responding to his guest, pointed out that the foundation which the former governor laid in Lagos during his tenure as two terms Governor has made Lagos what it is today.
According to him, “God in his wisdom gave Tinubu the wisdom to lay the foundation that we are seeing today in Lagos, and we pray to see such a foundation in Nigeria tomorrow. Lagos is a country within a country today and we want to attribute that to Tinubu.”
“No wonder he is called the Jagaban of Borgu and when you said Jagaban, we all know what it means,” he said.
While thanking the National leader of the Party for the solidarity visit, governor Bello admitted that no desired result has been achieved in the fight against the gunmen in the state, stressing that “Niger State being the largest state in terms of landmarks, some of the communities being attacks are not accessible.”
He however pointed out that all hope is not lost in the fight, saying that “we need to take the necessary steps and remain committed to it. We dealing with people that their hearts are completely cemented towards doing evil.”
The National Leader of APC had earlier told his host that he was in the state to sympathise with the government and people of the state over the continued attacks on communities in the state gunmen, saying that “the human destruction going on in the state is sad and very unfortunate”.
Tinubu who was accompanied on the visit by members of the National Assembly from within and outside the state, said “we share in your grieve, we will not leave alone. People are displaced but we are not in a helpless situation.”
He maintained that with hope and determination, the war against the gunmen will be won, adding that “we must take the battle to them, we will find the financial resources to change the situation.”
He then urged the federal government to deploy modern technology in the fight against the gunmen “and we will win the war against them. Allah does not ask us to take the life you did not create.”
From Government House, Tinubu proceeded to the residence of the former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, accompanied by the governor where they met behind closed doors for about 30 minutes.