George Okoh in Makurdi
President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday promised to invest all looted funds to improve the nation’s infrastructure, assuring that he would also provide security to ensure peaceful elections in Benue State and other troubled parts of the country.
Speaking in Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi, the Benue State capital, in continuation of his nationwide presidential campaign, Buhari said he would remain consistent in the war against corruption.
He recalled that when he went to the state in 2014 to canvass for votes, he promised to tackle three key issues, which included economy, security and war against corruption.
He said: “You will recall that when I came to canvass for your votes in 2014, l promises three things which is to improve economy, security and fight corruption. I have been able to stop importation of foreign foods.
“Although fighting corruption has remained a major challenge of this government, I will not change but be consistent and steadfast in fighting corruption and all looted funds will be used to improve infrastructures, build roads, and construct rail lines and improved power.
“We have been able to rescue 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the North-east states from the hands of Boko Haram.”
He added that his administration has been able to stop importation of foreign foods particularly rice and encouraged the farmers by making fertilizers available, thereby promoting large-scale farming across rural areas in the country.
On his part, the leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, Senator George Akume, described PDP-led government in the state as a failed one that had refused to improve the welfare of the people of the state.
According to him, Buhari has taken a bold step to rescue Nigeria from the hands of corrupt leaders who had completely milked the country’s resources.
Akume said: “Monies meant for fighting Boko Harm were shared mercilessly among these corrupt leaders. Today, many of these people are running away from their money kept in their banks. Buhari does not love money; he was a governor in two states; a former head of state and a minister of petroleum resources, yet he has no oil well.”
He explained that the people of the state have no problems with Fulani herdsmen, saying that he was a governor for eight years and no farmer had problem with any herder.
Akume said: “We have no problem with Fulani people and therefore, nobody should hide under incompetence, lack of purposeful, senselessness and underperformance to lament.
“The most notorious problem facing Benue today is the use of livestock guards. These people have been killing Benue people because they were armed with AK47. Just on Friday, we were on governorship campaign to Guma Local Government Area (LGA) and these guards ambushed our campaign train, shot and killed one person.”
He said Benue people are fully prepared for the general election and appealed to the president to deploy more security to the state to conduct the elections.
