Sokoto state governor and presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately operationalise the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) to accelerate development of critical infrastructure and social services to the people of the geo-political zone.
Addressing party members at the PDP secretariat in Bauchi on Thursday, Tambuwal recalled that the establishment of the NEDC was one of the initiatives by House of Representatives and his leadership and that of the current Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, to repair the damage caused to the North-East by the activities of insurgents.
He appealed to Bauchi delegates to support his presidential aspiration to enable him provide the much needed inclusive leadership to Nigerians.
“I have the legislative, judicial and executive experience, and I am well prepared for leadership. I promise you that if elected, we shall not shut the doors of the Aso Rock Villa against you or anybody. We shall carry all Nigerians along irrespective of religion, ethnicity and culture,” Tambuwal said.
He assured that he would assemble the best brains in the country to provide workable solutions to the nation’s economy, insecurity and other challenges confronting Nigeria.
State Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Hamza Ibrahim Usha, in his response, stated that Tambuwal had invested heavily in Bauchi and that this was the time for the former speaker to reap the benefits of such investments.
He acknowledged the role played by Governor Tambuwal in the emergence of Hon. Yakubu Dogara from Bauchi state as the current Speaker of the House of Representatives and other forms of support to the state.
“When we were preparing for the last Bauchi Senatorial bye-election and we had no funds to run our campaign, Governor Tambuwal came to our rescue by sending us N10billion to assist us,” he recalled.
“Tambuwal has been good to us, not once or twice, and the people of Bauchi are ready to reward you for your investment in us. I assure you that come October 5th-6th, no vote from Bauchi delegates (to the PDP national convention) will go out of you,” the Bauchi PDP chairman said.
He said that at the convention, all Bauchi delegates would line up behind Speaker Yakubu Dogara and other leaders like former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed and Hon Abdul Ningi, who were present in the meeting, to cast their votes for Tambuwal.