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Nigerians have many reasons to re-elect Buhari, says Ngige

By Abiodun Fagbemi (Ilorin) and Dom Ekpunonbi (Onitsha)
27 December 2018   |   4:16 am
Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, says Nigerians have many reasons to re-elect President Muhammadu Buhari.

PHOTO: Callistus Ewelike/NAN

•PTP candidate Olawepo-Hashim describe self as true Nigerian
•Parties, candidates in Ekiti woo voters with gifts

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, says Nigerians have many reasons to re-elect President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ngige spoke in response to questions raised by journalists in Onitsha.

He said, among other things, the president’s achievements reversed the nation’s economy from recession.

He added: “We fought our way out of recession,” and that the Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) is still building the country at the foundation level, which many people cannot easily see.

The minister disclosed that Nigeria no longer imports rice and therefore, now saves about $3.6 billion previously spent on yearly basis.

Ngige listed Federal Government flagship projects to include the second Niger Bridge, of which more than N30 billion was recently released to the contractors.

According to him, the PDP government had in its 16 years of leadership in the country, paid lip service to the construction of the bridge across the River Niger.

He described the bridge as being a very important project to the whole country, because of its strategic importance.

“If the PDP of 2015 had continued, we would have today become like Venezuela,” he said.

Other projects in the flagship include the Lagos-Ibadan Express way, which he said would soon be completed, and a rail line that would run from Umuahia to Owerri.

Included also are the Lagos-Ijebuode- Benin-Agbor-Warri- Port Harcourt roads.

The minister equally cited a rail bridge across Onitsha to Nnewi, as well as a link up with the one coming from Awka.

He expressed satisfaction with the Moseluem at Zik’s Place in Onitsha, which he added, has been completed and was ready for commissioning by the president.

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of People’s Trust Party (PTP) Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has canvassed love for speedy socio-political and economic development.

He made the call at a Christmas dinner for his supporters in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, where he said among his co-contestants, he remains the only one who would not discriminate in his policies against all the major tribes in the country, if voted to power.

He explained: “My father is from the north through a Yoruba woman. She is from the North Central geo- political block. My running mate is from the southeastern part of the country. You can see that with us, there is no room for ethnic or religious intolerance.

In Ekiti State, political campaigns have heightened across towns and villages as candidates distributed gifts to woo voters, in the spirit of Christmas and New Year celebrations.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that items distributed to both party faithful and potential voters, depending on status, included cash, chicken, turkey, rice, cooking oil as well as bales of cloth.

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