By Oluwatobi Enitan and Fatunbi Olayinka
The National Secretary of a Fulani socio-cultural organisation, the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Saleh Alhassan, has said Nigerians would miss President Muhammadu Buhari when he leaves office, irrespective of the security challenges the country is experiencing.
Alhassan said this in an exclusive interview with The ICIR in Keffi Nasarawa State.
According to him, Buhari had done his best, claiming that since the late Ahmadu Bello, the North had never produced a personality interested in the country’s development and p development like Buhari.
He said, “Suppose you look at how he has given all attention needed to the security agencies to fight insurgency. That is why today, you see Boko Haram has been reduced to the fringes because he has provided the necessary weaponry to our security forces. He has given them a free hand to operate, reach out, and create collaborations with our neighbouring countries.
“Yes, we have not gotten much for the livestock sector because, unfortunately, the National Livestock Transformation Plan, which has been under the office of the Vice-President, is being superintended by a Special Assistant, who is not a Fulani man who does not know anything about livestock. We believe that is what is responsible for the slow implementation of the policies we have in the livestock sector.”
“When sustainable infrastructure, like the rail lines, come on stream, the government would have addressed 80 per cent of the transportation challenges we have in this country, which will affect commercial activities and also improve economic activities in the country.
“If they complete the trans-Sahara gas pipeline project, we would have diversified our energy sources. We have also opened up corridors to sell our gas to the international market, and in all the northern points where this pipeline will pass, there will be industrial development. These are sustainable investments that will outlive President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Alhassan declared that the group would not be supporting the presidential candidates of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
He said, “Some aspirants do not have any policy for us. So automatically, they do not even feature up, unless we look at them in the context of what they can do for Nigeria in general.
“If you look at Peter Obi, I have not heard him come out to challenge the activities of IPOB criminals, the gang created by Nnamdi Kanu, that has been killing our people in the South-East and destroying their livestock. I have not heard him challenge their activities or condemn what they are doing.
“Today, they are at the forefront of his campaign on social media and even issuing threats to other aspirants not to visit the zones, so do you think such a candidate would merit our support? Every citizen has a right to exercise his franchise, cast his vote where he wants to cast it. As an organisation, we also have a right to enlighten our people to see this is where our interest is feathered.”
“If you look at the APC candidate, he has built structures across the country. He has shown interest in the challenges facing the pastoralists through The Nation newspaper five years ago, when he was not even thinking of running for President. He organised a national conference at the NAF conference centre to look at the issues that have to do with the farmers and herders and proffer solutions to people who were invited.”