Alhaji Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar, executive governor of Jigawa State, and presidential aspirant under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged APC Ambassadors for Good Governance to engage grassroots to promote the achievements of the party led by President Muhammadu Buhari across the 774 Local Governments in the country.
Governor Badaru, who was represented by Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, made the appeal at APC Ambassadors for Good Governance unveiling of an Appraisal Hub on Good Governance and Official Inauguration of 36 State Chapter Coordinators of the organization which took place in Abuja.
The governor stated that APC as party, has achieved a lot in the last seven years, and what left for its ambassadors is to amplify the achievements recorded under President Buhari, adding that “as Ambassadors for Good Governance, you have a huge role to play in mobilizing voters for our great party during upcoming elections.”
While attributing good governance to APC, the governor noted that the ruling party is known to have mastered the art of consensus, and youth participation in politics, according to him, that credits can never be taken away from the ruling party.
He said President Buhari set a record by signing Disability Bill, a bill that was hanging for about two decades without Presidential assent. But by signing the bill, it allows people living with disabilities to participate on various national issues.
“We all know how this administration gave a special consideration for women, men and youth, and the party follows rule of law. In the history of this country, there were never a government that follows rule of law like that of President Buhari,” he said.
He added that, APC is effective and efficient in project delivery, and initiatives that touch the lives of Nigerian citizens.
“We have so many developmental programmes like Social Investment, first of its kind in the history of this country. We have youth centric and many other programmes that help Nigeria diversify its economy.
President Buhari initiated the Home-Grown Feeding Programme which is designed to put an end to importation and market monopoly of farm produce that can be grown here in Nigeria, which was a pilot vehicle to sustainable economic, agricultural, academic and job creation across the length and breadth of the nation.
The Buhari administration followed steps to improve the standards of Nigeria’s agricultural exports to align with global standards due to the rejection of our produce at the EU Border Controls.
The Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria under the Buhari-led administration has made available billions of naira to farmers of rice, wheat, maize, cotton, cassava, poultry, soy beans and groundnut.
President Buhari-led administration set up the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) to deliver commercially significant quantities of affordable and high-quality fertilizer to the Nigerian farmers at the right time
“Before we came to power, Nigeria’s economy was oil dependent but today, oil contributes less than 8% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This shows how this government is effective and efficient in economy diversification.
Speaking further on accountability, Governor Badaru said no government in the history of Nigeria will match APC administration. Noting that President Muhammadu Buhari holds everyone accountable and gives autonomy to all political appointees to discharge their responsibilities in accordance with the rule of law.
“We have never had a transparent government like this APC administration. It is under APC we have IPPS and Treasury Single Account (TSA) working. This is what makes government more accountable and transparent. Every kobo this government spent can be tracked. Today, you can’t take government money just like that, the way it was happening before; where government officials transfer money without accounting for it,” he added.
He said the APC has done quite a lot in terms of infrastructure and social development, and politically, the President Buhari has had 12 million votes in the last election, and he will not be on the ballot in next election, so it is the responsibilities of APC Ambassadors to go back to their states, mobilize people, showcase to them the achievements of APC.
“Our selling points should be our visible achievements. Nigerians should be abreast about the good work we have done, and what we will do in future. Of all the policies we had, it is time to assimilate what we have achieved and pass them on to Nigerians.
“Gathering like this would be the beginning to show Nigerians what good governance is, and this will create a sense of urgency. As Ambassadors, you have to go back to your locality and sell the good governance of this great party.
“You formed a coalition and inaugurated state chapter coordinators, you have a mission and vision you are going to sell which is Good Governance, sell it to Nigerians. Take it to every ward across the 774 Local Government Areas we have in the country,” he stated.