By Sam Kayode
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, Sunday said it was disturbing that leaders have forgotten about the interest of down-trodden in Nigeria.
He also said that unless the scourge of corruption is eliminated from Nigeria, the country will not make expected progress.
Zulum, who was responding to remarks by a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, at the Government House, Maiduguri on Sunday noted that corruption is the terrible scourge that has taken the nation backwards from making appreciable progress.
“We are in a very serious problem in the nation today and if we as leaders cannot sort out the problem we are heading for more trouble in the nearest future.
“As at today we have abandoned our down-trodden yet we are not worried.
“For me, my ambition is to see Borno gain it’s lost glory among the committee of nations,” he said.
The Governor noted that his cardinal objective is to bring peace and development into the state which is why he as a party faithful would wish for only the best candidate to get the nomination.
However, “if you are fortunate to get the ticket, we in the North-east would want our battered roads rehabilitated.
“We also want the railway routes to reconnect with Maiduguri and the recharging of Lake Chad.
“You talked about oil exploration. We would be happy if that is done and above all the termination of the lingering insurgency which has taken so many souls”, he stressed.
Amaechi, while addressing the delegates said he came to appeal to their consciences.
To him, having taken so many risks on behalf of the people of Borno it was his turn to gain reciprocal benefit from them especially now that he has come to appeal to their consciences.
He said that having spent eight years as speaker in his state, eight years as Governor and five years as a minister, he was amply qualified to become the next Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces of Nigeria.
“If I am voted, we will get back our primary and secondary schools, health facilities, roads and I will further explore the crude oil on the Chad basin to the benefit of the state and the entire country,” he posited.
Director General of the Rotimi Amaechi Presidential campaign team, Senator Mohammad Ndume noted that the former Governor gave a good account of himself when he was in Government house Port Harcourt and that makes him qualified to handle the security related tasks of an effective commander in Chief.
Those on the convoy of the former minister were the former Army Chief Ambassador Tukur Buratai, senators Tutare, Isa Maina, Charles Nkata, CP Ndabawa, DIG Habilla, Kabiru Ajala, Bode mustapha and many other retired security personnel now in partisan politics.
