Apparently referring to the current high-wire politics and horse-trading ahead of 2015, former president Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido has exhibited good governance abilities, and has the capacity and competence to rule Nigeria.
The ex-president also described Jigawa as one of the most investor-friendly states in the country.
Obasanjo made the remarks in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, yesterday while delivering his keynote address at the opening ceremony of a three-day Jigawa State Economic Summit.
He said, “You know you can help somebody to get a job but you cannot help him to do it. If somebody cannot do the job, we have Sule Lamido who is competent to do the job.
“Some people are saying one person can’t make changes. This is rubbish; if you have a competent person who knows where he is going to, he can make changes along with his team that would impact the lives of people as we have seen it in Jigawa State.”
According to Obasanjo, good governance is key for any practical and factual economic development plan because “the government is not expected to invest directly but to provide enabling environment for private investors to implement the plan”.
“The way Governor Lamido revitalised the Jigawa state education sector, made adequate provision of good roads network, infrastructures, social security, free trade has now made the state be a haven for investors, and, to the best of my knowledge, today there is no state
in Nigeria which investors’ confidence on can be greater than Jigawa State,” said Obasanjo who ruled the country from 1999 to 2007. “I am optimistic that this summit would help in mapping out a long-term economic plan that could lead to the successful economic development which can be translated into increase of employment, wealth creation, poverty reduction and improve the well-being of the people of the state and Nigeria.”
Obasanjo added that there is need to change Nigeria from the land of opportunity to the land of actuality by giving emphasis to education, infrastructure, social security and human development.
The former president however revealed that he was the one that imposed Governor Lamido on the people of Jigawa State and that he was happy that he did not disappoint him.
In his welcome address, Governor Lamido said they organised the summit with a view to opening the state’s window to the whole world to come and invest in Jigawa State.
He said his government was ever ready to give all necessary support and cooperation to any investor who wanted to invest in Jigawa State, and the state is also ready to work with any collaborator who wants assist Jigawa to attain better life.
According to the governor, the aim of organising the summit was to chart a plan for developing Jigawa State economically to tally with that of Asian Tigers like Japan and Singapore, not in terms of big buildings but for the state’s people to attain standard human life.
Some of the prominent personalities at the economic summit included business mogul Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Alhaji Salisu Sambajo, Mr Mohammed Abacha, former minister of commerce Senator Bello Maitama Yusif, former minister of power and mineral resources Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, former minister of Federal Capital Territory Aliyu Modibbo, and Emir of Hadejia Adamu Abubakar Maje.
Other personalities included former minister of commerce Mustapha Bello, Emir of Ringim Sayyadi Mahmu, Emir of Kazaura Alhaji Najib Adamu, governor of Zandara in Niger Republic, British high commissioner to Nigeria Mr Andrew Poka, Akyem of Wembley and Duke of Edinburg Mr Lord Boateng who chaired the summit.
Obasanjo holds closed-door meeting with Kwankwaso
In a related development, Obasanjo yesterday held a close door meeting with Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso at the Government House in Kano. The former president arrived at the Government House at about 4pm in a black SUV vehicle belonging to Jigawa State governor.
He was received by the PDP supporters who gatherd at the Government House to witness the second year anniversary of the Kwankwaso administration. Obasanjo alongside Kw
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