Olabode Adaramola
…poverty in the north more than other parts of Nigeria-Sen. Suswan
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel has promised to restore Nigeria’s lost glory among the ‘Committee of nations’ by transforming it into an exporter of agricultural goods and services from it’s present state of economic standstill and a highly indebted country in Foreign Loans.
Governor Udom, who is also a Frontline Presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) against the 2023 general elections in Nigeria stated this at the Niger state’s Secretariat of the Party in Minna,the state capital on Thursday while addressing PDP delegates from the state ahead of the party’s upcoming Presidential primaries slated for Abuja,the Federal Capital Territory, just as he promised to initiate an economic policy that would be dependent on agricultural production if he is elected President, come February 2023 Presidential election in the country.
The Presidential Hopeful explained that the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) substation in Akwa-Ibom State remained one of the best in Nigeria, this he said has helped the state in the establishment of industries such as the green house for the preservation of agricultural produce for local consumption and for export purposes and hope to replicate same if he emerged President, Federal Republic of Nigeria next year.
Part of the transformation legacies worth mentioning in Akwa-Ibom state, according to Governor Udom Emmanuel is the establishment of Ibom Air, the first and only state owned Organization in Nigeria and promised to ensure that Nigeria Airways shall be restored.
The Director-General ‘Udom 2023 Presidency Campaign Organization ’, and former Governor of Benue State Dr. Gabriel Suswan who doubles as the Senator representing Zone A Senatorial District in Benue State however expressed regretts that the poverty level and hunger ravaging northern Nigeria compared to other parts of Nigeria was as a result of the costly mistake of Northern Political elites in 2015 with the tag, ‘Namu’, an acronym for, ‘support our own’ against other choices based on credibility and competency in the 2015 and 2019 Presidential elections in the country.
“Poverty level in the north is highest compared to other parts of the country because we were carried away by the mentality of Namu”, this according to Suswan brought northern Nigeria years backward and therefore implores Niger State PDP delegates and northern Nigeria voters in the next year’s general in Nigeria not to allow same mistake repeat itself in 2023.
As the 2023 general election is around the corner , Senator Suswan said “it is important for the electorates to be wise and avoid making mistakes of voting wrong candidates who will be globe-trotting and an “absentee President” by supporting the candidature of Governor Udom Emmanuel, whom he described as a vibrant, visionary, intelligent, economic expert and someone who can unite and secure the country from insurgency
“Poverty in the north is so high that most people can no longer feed their families. Exchange rate is soaring so high, the gap between Nigerian Naira against the US Dollar is so wide”, this and many more Suswam argued should bother Nigerians hence the need for a change from this is our own to this is the right candidate that will work for Nigeria”.
The Chairman, Niger state’s chapter of PDP and the leader of the party in Niger State, Barr. Tanko Beji and Senator Zaynab Kure in their respective response commended Governor Udom for the visit to interact with delegates ahead of the forthcoming Presidential Primary of the Party.
Beji and Kure were however unanimous in their resolve to consider Presidential aspirants who deemed it necessary to visit in person and interact with delegates as the same recognition would be accorded only the aspirants that accorded them respect and consideration during the upcoming party’s primary very soon and during the next year’s general elections proper.
