The Executive Governor of Jigawa State Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar said without the support he received from President Muhammadu Bubari he would have packed his bags and run as a governor.
The Governor made the statement when he received the Minister of information and Culture Alhaji Lai Muhammad, who was on an official visit to inspect the tallest national flag in Nigeria at the Malam Alu Agro-allied company in Birninkudu local government in Jigawa State.
According to the Governor, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has supported state government at different levels since the beginning of APC-led government.
He said “with what we have inherited in Jigawa and the circumstances we found ourselves of a dwindling oil economy, we know the challenges we would have faced without the support of President Muhammadu Buhari. I’m telling Mr. Minister I would have packed my bags and run.” the governor said.
He continued “If you remember, he bailed out all the states, gave 18-month support for us to pay salaries, I mean all of the governors. He paid the Paris fund money for all to do infrastructure.”
He said the state had received about N37billion from the Federal Government as a refund of Paris Club loan and another N10billion was received as a refund to the state for the building of Dutse airport.
Also, the Governor commended the president for the social investment programs in Jigawa, adding that about 164,000 families were taken out of poverty through the conditional cash transfer.
According to the governor, the agricultural transformation agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari has also helped in alleviating poverty in the state.
“The ancho borrower program that provides soft loans for peasant farmers have greatly affected the lives of people of Jigawa. As we are talking now in our communities the richest individuals are farmers. We can not that the president enough.” Badaru said.
Earlier, the Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Muhammad said having visited the Emir’s palace he has now come to understand why Jigawa state remains the most peaceful state in Nigeria.
The Minister who was given citizenship in Jigawa said the Emir explained how the emirate with the support of state government is resolving local conflict of over 3000 a month which he described as the key to the state’s sustainable peace.
