Stakeholders in Niger State have alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari led administration scammed the state in the provision of dividends of democracy, despite the massive support given to him in 2015 and 2019 presidential elections in the country.
The stakeholders stated this at the Government House in Minna during a meeting convened by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada.
They include Legislators, traditional rulers, youth organizations, women groups and religious leaders, who all took turns to bare their minds on various challenges facing the state.
Making the presentation, they all decried the incessant bandit attacks, bad roads, none operation of HYPPADEC and Bark Port, bad roads as well as inadequate electricity supply among many others in the state.
Speaking, the state youth leader, Bello Sherif said President Buhari tricked the state and got overwhelming support during his first and second term elections and subsequently, neglected the state in democratic dividends.
“We are not happy with President Buhari, we are loyal to him but, he is not loyal to us. He has scammed us. HYPPADEC and Baro Port are not in operation, all the over 2,000 km of roads in the state are bad among others. That is why, we are calling on our Minister and lawmakers to come to our aid or else, when they call us for anything, the youths in Niger state will not listen to them. .”
Speaking, the Chief Imam of Minna, Malam Ibrahim Fari said insecurity and lack of electricity are some of the major problems facing the state.
“We want the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, to increase the supply of electricity in the state. We are not accepting anything less than 20 hours of electricity, if they cannot give us this, let them leave the state.”
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State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Mathias Echioda in his contribution, said the roads in the state have become death traps, noting the need for the federal government to declare a state of emergency on roads across Niger State.
Lamenting the state of roads, the representative of the women group, Bar. Aisha Galadima noted that the state deserves a better deal from the Federal government.
Other concerned citizens decried the neglect suffered by the state, stressing that the challenge of banditry has made a lot of local government areas inhabitable.
“We gave the president a lot of votes both during the first and second term elections but, what did we get?. We are not happy because we supported him but he is not supporting us. We are not getting what we bargained for. We are urging the federal government to come to our aid.”
In his remarks, the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello requested the Minister to take the requests of the people to the federal government, saying all the issues raised were apt and on point.
Consequently, convener of the meeting, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada pledged to deliver the messages to the federal government.
Dada explained that the meeting was a directive from President Buhari who asked all Ministers to return to their states and call for on the challenges facing the people.
