Yilwatda insists North as biggest beneficiaries of Tinubu policies
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Following the escalating hostility against the President Bola Tinubu-led administration in the North, the All Progressives Congress (APC) elders in the region, comprising former and serving government officials, have put a strategy in place to correct the impression, mobilise to ensure that northern electorate vote massively for his re-election in next year’s presidential election.
Led by former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, during a courtesy visit to the National Chairman of the ruling party, the elders comprising former governors of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, Simon Lalong, their Kogi counterpart, Yahaya Bello, Jigawa, Abubakar Badaru, Katsina, Ibrahim Shema, serving and former legislators and ministers, expressed concerns over the attacks against President Tinubu.
Operating under the auspices of Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A), the elders said they have identified the weak areas and the target points, flashpoints to identify and address what led to the weaknesses, the very low turnout and the number of votes.
“The concept is an idea put together to ensure the mobilisation of the teeming population in the North, 19 northern states and the FCT. We are very conscious of the number of voters in the North, which is the largest, compared to our brothers up in the South.”
“We do not in any way intend to show any division as to what the North stands for and what the South stands for. We stand for the progress of Nigeria. We stand for the success of APC across the country.”
“But while doing that, we want to make sure the whole North, with the largest population, the largest number of voters is mobilised to ensure that the number that we have been boasting about, the number that has always been the highest in all elections, is not only repeated, but more than tripled compared to previous numbers,” Shekarau said.
Speaking further, the former Kano governor noted: “This is exactly what we are out to do, and we have taken note of all the statistics. We have itemised the successes and the places of the successes in the previous election. We have identified our weak areas and the target points, flashpoints, that we will now address to identify what led to the weaknesses, what led to the very low turnout and the number of votes.”
“We are very conscious of the fact that the apathy is across the country. From 1999 to date, the percentage turnout has been going down more and more and more. And those of us in the leadership in the political arena have the responsibility to identify the reasons, address them, and see how we can uplift such weaknesses,” he said.
Responding, the ruling party boss, Yilwatda, argued that no past president has touched lives in the North more than the incumbent President.
According to him, “Mr President has done for the northern part of Nigeria more than any part of the country. And these are things Mr President is doing and planning for the North. In no small measure. I keep on asking all these while, what have we done that Mr President has done so much for us within just three years.”
“It is not eight years. It is just three years and he has done so much for us. I don’t think any part of the country has benefited from the NELFUND more than us in the North. Most of the beneficiaries of the NELFUND are from our parts. We should thank Mr President and take advantage of it. To make sure that we get most of our people to be schooled. It is an opportunity for us in the North to make sure that we get our people to access those loans. Access the student loan to get them schooled and take advantage of the policy of government.”
“I may not have time to discuss the details. But most policy of this government, if it was in the North, so the fact that we are coming to make this loud, very loud voice from the North supporting President Tinubu,” he insisted.
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