By: Umar Akilu Majeri, Dutse.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jigawa State and coordinator of the campaign for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Umar Namadi, Alhaji Musa Shuaibu Muhammad Guri, has described former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s call for the restoration of fuel subsidy as an attempt to deceive Nigerians.

Guri, who is also the chairman of the Renew Hope for Asiwaju 2027 support group, said President Tinubu came into office with a clear determination to reform Nigeria, stressing that meaningful reforms often come with temporary difficulties.

According to him, Nigerians are already witnessing the results of the reforms, adding that the administration is gradually addressing the problems it inherited.

Guri spoke while addressing journalists at his office in Dutse after a meeting with members of the Renew Hope for Asiwaju 2027 group.

He said the meeting focused on issues affecting the people, particularly the rising cost of living, as well as strategies for collectively promoting the policies and achievements of President Tinubu’s administration.

He maintained that the Tinubu administration had introduced policies capable of improving the lives of Nigerians, but alleged that some individuals deliberately refused to acknowledge the government’s achievements.

Guri said the removal of fuel subsidy had often been blamed for the hardship being experienced by Nigerians, particularly following Atiku Abubakar’s recent promise to restore the subsidy if elected.

He, however, accused Atiku of being unfair to Nigerians.

“Those of us in the APC have been taught to respect and value the people. We respect Atiku Abubakar, but he should understand that his position on fuel subsidy is misleading Nigerians,” Guri said.

He recalled that Atiku had previously spoken about removing fuel subsidy while campaigning during the 2023 election, arguing that his current promise to restore it was therefore politically motivated.

“People should understand that this is politics. Atiku is making these statements to achieve a political objective, not necessarily because he wants to improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians,” he said.

Guri also challenged Atiku to explain what he achieved during his tenure as vice president under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, particularly regarding the country’s electricity crisis.

He urged Nigerians to judge political leaders by their records rather than campaign promises.

Infrastructure and Transportation
Guri said the Tinubu administration had embarked on major infrastructure projects, including road and railway projects designed to connect different parts of the country.

He cited the railway project linking Kaduna with several northern states, including Kano, Jigawa and Katsina, with the line extending towards Maradi in the Republic of Niger.

He also mentioned the proposed railway connection from Kano through Dutse, Yobe and Borno, which he said would eventually connect with the railway network extending towards Chad.

According to him, such projects would stimulate economic activity, facilitate transportation and create new opportunities for Nigerians.

Boosting Agriculture

On agriculture, Guri said farmers across the country could testify to the Federal Government’s efforts to boost agricultural production.

He said the Federal Government had provided tractors to states in northern Nigeria, including Jigawa, while the Jigawa State Government under Governor Umar Namadi had acquired additional tractors.

“Jigawa received 100 tractors, and Governor Umar Namadi purchased another 100, bringing the total to 200 tractors. These will be distributed to farmers to improve agricultural production across the state,” he said.

Guri also praised the Federal Government’s efforts to stabilise the foreign exchange market, saying the naira had strengthened against the dollar compared with previous periods of severe volatility.

Security

On insecurity, Guri rejected claims that the security challenges facing parts of the country were the result of political failures by the Tinubu administration.

He recalled that before the APC came to power, Boko Haram had taken control of several local government areas in Borno State, making it difficult for government authorities to exercise effective control over those areas.

According to him, the affected areas have since been recovered and returned to government control.

He described the recovery of the territories as one of the achievements of the Tinubu administration and urged the President to intensify efforts to consolidate peace and security across the country.

Guri further recalled that, before the APC administration, several states struggled to pay workers’ salaries and depended on federal assistance.

He said improved revenue from the federation, particularly following changes in the management of petroleum revenues, had enabled states and local governments to meet their salary obligations while also funding development projects.

Namadi’s Jigawa Projects

Guri also praised Governor Umar Namadi for what he described as significant achievements in Jigawa State.

He said the governor had constructed 47 roads across the state, linking communities that had previously suffered from poor transportation networks.

According to him, the projects have opened up rural communities and eased the movement of people and goods.

He also cited efforts to address erosion, particularly in Dutse, the state capital, where erosion has remained a longstanding concern.

On education, Guri said Governor Namadi had constructed new schools and recruited teachers, adding that the state had made significant progress in providing better learning environments for pupils and students.

He claimed that pupils were no longer forced to study under trees because the government had provided the necessary classroom infrastructure.

Guri also credited the governor with attracting federal higher institutions to the state.

He cited the establishment of two police training institutions, one in Gwaram Local Government Area and another currently under construction in Kafin Hausa Local Government Area.

He described the development as a major achievement that would create opportunities for young people in the state.

Scholarship and Social Support

Guri said the Federal Government had also introduced scholarship and other support programmes aimed at assisting children from poor and vulnerable families.

He noted that many students from Jigawa State had benefited from the programmes, which he said were helping to reduce the financial burden on families.

He urged Nigerians to support the APC and the Tinubu administration, arguing that continuity would allow the government’s reforms and development programmes to yield greater results.

Renew Hope Programme.

Guri also announced that the Renew Hope initiative under President Tinubu would introduce additional programmes aimed at improving the welfare of Nigerians.

He said about 1,000 people had already been registered in Jigawa State to benefit from the programme through the President’s Renew Hope office.

He urged the people of Jigawa State to remain optimistic and support programmes designed to improve their livelihoods.

Guri expressed confidence that the APC would perform strongly in the 2027 elections, particularly in Jigawa State.

He said Governor Umar Namadi remained popular among the people because of what he described as his administration’s visible development projects.

“Once you mention Umar Namadi in Jigawa politics, you are talking about someone whose administration has touched the lives of the people. The people can see the projects and the impact of the support coming from the Federal Government,” he said.

He called on Nigerians to support President Tinubu and Governor Namadi, while urging the President to do more to strengthen security and improve the living conditions of citizens.