Mr Saliu Mustapha, one of the front-runners for the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship, believes President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to enthrone good leadership in the country will be remembered favorably.
Mustapha stated this in a statement issued by his Media Officer, Mr Dapo Okubanjo, on Wednesday in Abuja, noting that Buhari was doing everything in his power to enthrone good leadership and improve the lot of Nigerians.
He stated this in light of President Buhari’s recent approval of an N656 billion bailout for all 36 states of the federation as a budget support facility.
The aspirant, a former Deputy Chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), stated that President Buhari had approved four bailouts for federation states in six years.
He said the president deserved praise for making this possible, and that the latest approval of N18.2 billion for each state of the federation was proof of President Buhari’s love for the people.
This, he said, was especially important because the bailout fund, which would be disbursed in six tranches, would be used, among other things, to clear the backlog of workers’ salaries and pensions in some states.
He noted that the same gesture was responsible for the introduction of some of Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest welfare initiatives through the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) in a country that had never had a proper social welfare program.
“It should be noted that all of these bailouts are coming at a time when the administration is also embarking on infrastructure development on a scale never seen in the country before,” he said.
Mustapha, who was recently crowned Turaki of Ilorin Emirate, went on to say that President Buhari had laid a solid foundation for the next administration.
“While much has been said about the infrastructure being built, particularly the ongoing rail projects, some of us believe that his efforts to diversify the economy will be his most lasting legacy.”
“We are gradually seeing that Nigeria’s over-reliance on crude oil is reducing with the performance of the non-oil sector, which has consistently contributed more than 90% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures in recent times.”
“There is also the ongoing agricultural revolution, which has seen the country overtake Egypt as Africa’s largest producer of rice thanks to massive infusions of funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).”
“The impact should be felt long after Buhari has left office,” he said. “We at the APC must ensure that we put in place national leadership that is committed to cementing the Buhari legacy.”
Mustapha, speaking on the country’s security, stated that security should and must be everyone’s concern if we are to have a conducive environment for growth and stability, rather than looking at it through the lens of political affiliations or ethnic cleavages.
He argued that the Federal Government, led by President Buhari, was doing everything possible to enthrone good leadership.
Buhari, he believes, will be better appreciated after he leaves office.