Want Nigerians to reject the insensitive project
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has flayed the plan by the federal government to build a $1.9 billion rail line from Kano to Niger Republic.
The leaders in a statement entitled, ‘Kano-Niger Rail: Buhari commitment to Nigeria doubtful’, jointly signed by Chief Edwin Clarke (South South) Chief Ayo Adebanjo (South West), Chief John Nwodo (South East) and Dr. Pogu Bitrus (Middle Belt), described the project as a sheer waste of the nation’s scarce resources and asked Nigerians to reject the insensitive project.
The elder statesmen submitted that “this insensitive project is one more reason different nationalities in Nigeria should ask Buhari serious questions on his overt submission to those he shares civilisation with outside this country at the expense of those he deceives to be “fellow Nigerians”, we must reject this squandering of our resources on another country.”
The SMBLF leaders in the release stated inter alia:
“The announcement of the building of a $1.9 billion rail from Kano to Niger Republic is one more reason that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to Nigeria is no more than the resources he can take from the country to fund his ethno-religious sensibilities outside the country.
“Committing such an amount to another country at a time Nigerians are being punished with atrocious prices of petroleum and electricity prices confirms Mr. President is loyal to a different civilisation which he is abusing his leadership of Nigeria to promote.
“This project is being promoted at a time the Calabar-Lagos rail that is of great economic importance has been abandoned. We wonder what explanation the Minister of Transportation will have to give to the people of South-south for abandoning such a project while committing to the wasteful project to Niger.
“It is not lost on us the absolute lack of integrity of this government in lying to us that the rail is being constructed to the border when Maradi is over one hour to the border of Niger with Nigeria.”
