By; DAHIRU SULEIMAN, Dutse
A youth group under the aegis of Unified Northern Forum Jigawa State Chapter has described the Central Bank (CBN) Governor, Dr. Godwin Emefele as a champion of agricultural development and urged him to contest for Nigeria’s presidential election in 2023 for a prosperous and united Nigeria.
The chairman of the forum, Jigawa state chapter, Abdullahi Abbas made the call while speaking at a political gathering in Dutse.
He said Jigawa State being an agrarian state with over 70 per cent of its population engaged in farming as their source of livelihood, under Emefele the country’s agricultural sector has received a number of interventions that boosted productivity and generated more jobs.
Abdullahi added that thousands of Jigawa State farmers have moved from subsistence farming to commercial farming as a result of the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme and other agricultural interventions they accessed from the CBN.
“In 2017, the Jigawa State Government accessed N5 billion loan from CBN to finance its agricultural development. In 2021 CBN disbursed over N4 billion as loans to our rice farmers, Jigawa State is also among 15 states that benefited from N52 billion wheat cultivation grant and over 25,000 ‘unbanked’ women and youth enrolled into the banking system which made financial services accessible to them.
“We believe that Dr. Godwin Emefiele has all it takes to make Nigeria a great nation, rejuvenate our economy, and take us to the status of a developing nation where peace, progress, and prosperity will be realized,” he stressed.
In his speech, the Chief Convener, Unified Northern Nigeria Youth Forum, Mohammed Salihu Danlami said the policy introduced by the CBN governor is largely best described as shifting the Nigerian economy from an oil economy (mono) to a more diversified economy with agriculture, mining, and industries as main drivers.
“We are optimistic that if he becomes the president of Nigeria, he will do more on this policy and Nigeria will certainly attain a developed nation status,” he assured.
Mr. Danlami called on all Northerners and Nigerians to join the call for Emefiele to come and contest the Nigerian presidential election for peace, unity, and development of the nation.
In his keynote address at the occasion, the spokesperson of the forum, comrade Aliyu Muhammad Sani, said that Nigeria currently needs a strongman, patriotic and pragmatic who already has a blueprint that can guide him to work around the clock to move the nation forward through peace, progress, and prosperity.
“Nigerians should look into the 37 interventions initiated by Dr. Godwin Emefiele. They will realize that all the required qualities and track records for one to become next NIgeria’s President, he possessed them, therefore, we believe he can do the Job,” Mr. Sani declared.
