Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
President Muhammadu Buhari took the campaign for his second term to Adamawa State, the doorsteps of his main challenger and presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday.
There, and before a mammoth crowd at the Ribadu Square in Yola, capital of Adamawa, Buhari, the president said he has delivered on his promises of providing of security, improving the economy and to fight against corruption in the country.
At the rally, he reiterated that, of the three key promises he made in 2015, the fight against corruption is remains the toughest as the promise of getting conviction against corrupt people is an uphill task but that he remains firm to his promise that all corrupt people would be dealt with and looted funds would be returned to the people.
Said Buhari: “The people of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe are testament to our commitment in the fight against corruption and our resolve to end insurgency.
“We have provided our farmers with fertilisers and bumper harvests have been recorded.”
Buhari said it was unfortunate that the work started years ago, when he was chairman of the now defunct Petroleum Trust Fund, to provide basic necessities for the people, have not been completed.
On his part, Governor Muhammed Umaru Jibrilla Bindow said “Adamawa remains thankful to Muhammadu Buhari for the peace enjoyed.
“Yola-Mubi, Numan-Gombe, Jalingo-Numan and Jada-Toungo roads have all been awarded for construction by the Buhari-led government,” and canvassed for his re-election.
Adamawa is also home to Buhari’s wife, Aisha, as well as home to the current Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha. The state is also an interesting presidential battlefield as it is also home to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammed Bello.
Adamawa has, however, been a PDP stronghold and Atiku’s emergence, as the presidential candidate of the PDP, has triggered a fierce scramble and battle for the about 1.9 million votes up for grabs on February 16th.
Earlier, in Taraba, Buhari promised to open up the state for investors so that the state’s enormous natural resources can be tapped for development.
Buhari made this promsie before thousands of supporters at the Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo, the state capital as part of his presidential campaign tour of states.
The president said he would not only ensure completion of the Mambilla Dam and Ibi Bridge, but he would ensure construction of the Makurdi-Taraba-Borno rail project that would help open up the state for both local and foreign investors.
“Taraba has a lot of potentials that remain untapped. What we need to do is to open up the state for both local and foreign investors. We will complete the Mambilla Dam project that we started; after it was ignored for several decades. We will complete the bridge across the stretch of River Benue in Ibi local government area.
“We will also construct railway from Benue to Taraba and up to Borno State to ease movement of goods and farm produce,” Buhari said.