Governor Sule tells kinsmen to appreciate Tinubu more for releasing funds

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has urged his kinsmen from Mada South in Akwanga Local Government Area to appreciate President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for releasing funds to governors.

He acknowledged that the improved revenue and federal support enabled the state government to embark on meaningful development projects without borrowing, including infrastructure and agricultural initiatives.

Sule commended President Tinubu’s policies, particularly the unification of the naira exchange rate and fuel subsidy removal, which increased resources available to states for development.

The governor also highlighted ongoing projects like flyovers, underpasses, and equipment distribution, attributing their funding to Tinubu’s administration’s policy reforms and support .

Governor Sule made the call when he hosted a delegation of the Mada South Unity Forum, Akwanga South, on a courtesy call at the conference hall of the new state secretariat complex on Wednesday.

According to the Governor, even as the people of the state commend him for embarking on infrastructural development, President Tinubu should be appreciated more because the president made funds available to the governors.

“All these things that we are doing, I want you to always, yes you can commend me, but I also want you to appreciate the kind of President we have. President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is the leader who has helped us by releasing resources to us. That is why we are doing the work without borrowing money from anybody. All the work that we are doing, we have not borrowed” he stated.

He added that, just last week, his administration paid off in full the contractor who handled the multi-billion naira state secretariat complex.

“To say that we have finished this secretariat without borrowing one naira from any bank. Not only that we have finished, just last week, we paid the contractor one hundred percent his money. We didn’t do that by borrowing money. We did with the resources we had. The same thing with the Ahmed Bola Tinubu Interchange. The same thing will happen in Akwanga and Keffi,” he said.

 

While noting that efforts are ongoing towards completing projects in Akwanga namely the underpass, dualization of intra-city roads, as well as the Akwanga Byepass, within a month or two, Governor Sule disclosed that the next project to be executed by his administration in the area will be the Buku-Andaha Road, which when completed will open up the area to development.

“The road from Buku-Andaha is my next project. We want the people of Buku, people of Wamba, if they want to travel to Andaha, they must not go through Akwanga. If we do that, we have opened up Akwanga South. We have opened up those villages and given the opportunity to feel a sense of development,” he added.

Governor Sule dismissed insinuations that he may not carry the people of Akwanga South along because they didn’t vote for him during the past elections, even though he is an indigene of the area.

“The question of whether they voted for me or not does not even matter to me because I am already a Governor. Votes don’t matter anymore. The responsibility to continue to carry the entire people of Nasarawa State rests on me, and I must do that. I don’t have any people. All of you are my people. We must be able to carry people along,” he said.

On the request of the Akwanga South people for the creation of the Kpangai Chiefdom, Governor Sule faulted their agitation by not seeking the consent of the paramount traditional ruler in the area, the Chun Mada, HRH Pastor Samson Gamu Yare, as well as other traditional rulers in the area.

He therefore, advised them to seek the blessings of the Chun Mada and other traditional rulers in Akwanga Local Government Area, stressing that he is ready to sign a bill for the creation of the Kpangai Chiefdom once it is passed by the Nasarawa State House of Assembly.

“The creation of chiefdom for me, especially in my chiefdom, it will be my pleasure to create that chiefdom, but I won’t create the chiefdom if it will create confusion in my own constituency. That was why I said, I wish our father, the Chun Mada is here. Go back to him, go back to our traditional rulers in the area and seek their support. That day a bill for the creation of the chiefdom is brought before me, I will sign it. I can not play politics with you. If you see this chiefdom not being created so far, it is as a result of these fears. Some people want it, some people don’t want it,” he said.

Leader of the delegation, Professor Tukura Bitrus Wokhe, said the mission of the Mada South Unity Forum is not just to promote unity and development among out members but also work in harmonious relationship with those in governance for the progress of the state and the country in general.

Wokhe commended Governor Sule for carrying the people of Akwanga South along despite the fact that majority of the people did not vote for him.

“Despite the fallout of the last gubernatorial election, the forum appreciates you for the fatherly love you have been extending to her and her members over the years, especially in terms of appointments. This is a demonstration of your unreserved love for the people of Mada South and a confirmation of your philosophy of priotizing governance over political enmity,” he said.

The forum used the opportunity of the visit to commend the Governor for embarking on laudable development initiatives across the state.

“For instance, Lafia the state capital is today transformed completely into a modern city worthy of its status, especially with the completion of the underpass and flyover, not to forget the ongoing constructions of yet again another underpass in Akwanga and a flyover in Keffi. As well the new state secretariat complex,” Wokhe added.

The Mada South Unity Forum requested for the creation of the Kpangai Chiefdom in order to give the people of the area a sense of belonging.

Amongst those present during the courtesy visit include Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon Kwanta Yakubu, member representing Akwanga South at the state assembly, Hon. Yusuf Chun Aliyu, former state and national legislators, including Senator Philip Gyunka, present and former political appointees, as well as village and wards heads.