A former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has offered himself to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as an Aspirant for the sole gubernatorial ticket of the party in the 2027 general elections.
He declared his intention on Saturday declared his intention on Saturday, at the Games Village field during which he rolled out a 10-point agenda for the development of the state.
Making the declaration in front his supporters, he assured that if given the party ticket, he will ensure that the APC won the election.
He stressed that, “This is my third time of aspiring to be Governor of Bauchi State, in the previous two, as an opposition, I have the capacity to govern, that was the reason, when the President issued an instruction for those of us serving in his government that were interested in contesting for elected office, elective office, to resign before the 31st of March, and I duly complied.”
He added that,”And I thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving me this huge opportunity to be of service to my nation and represent my dear State, Bauchi.”
According to him, “In my life, I’ve been a businessman, so I belong to people in business. I know their pain and their joy. And my fellow businessmen and women that toil day in, day out in Muda Lawal market will appreciate what I’m talking about, as well as Wunti market and other markets here in Bauchi town. If given a chance, I will make marketing more profitable for them.”
The aspirant added that,”I tended to animals in my grandmother’s village as a child. So I belong to the people who tend to animals in the difficult situation and conditions. I understand the challenges and issues with farmers. I’m a politician. I was in opposition for many years and never changed my party. And now I belong to a party, the APC, in power at the federal level, but in opposition at home here in Bauchi.”
Yusuf Maitama Tugga stressed that, “I’ve lost elections. I won elections. I know and understand the pain of politicians. I was a Minister and therefore a public servant, so I know the importance of salaries, paying salaries on time, and paying when it does not come on time, or if it is not enough to pay for our needs. ”
“Our state stands at a crossroads with reach history, culture, and human potentials, yet many of our people continue to face poverty, unemployment, insecurity, and limited access to quality education and healthcare. This must change, and it will change,” he added.
He further stated that, “I’m stepping forward not for power, but for service, not for privilege, but for progress. Past leaders in the state have done their parts, and we thank them for that. May Allah reward them. May Allah forgive their mistakes. May Allah make us better leaders, so that you, the people, will say, Alhamdulillah.”
According to him,”I’m coming forward to build on the good legacies of previous leaders and to correct the mistakes of the past where they occurred.”
He explained that, “I’m coming forward to do the following. One, improve the economy and economic activities in Bauchi State, namely agriculture and rural economy, in terms of income of households. purchasing power and the ability of households to feed their families, to pay rent, their children school fees, pay for medication, and access to healthcare, pay dowries, or buy items to marry off their children, pay transportation to go to school, attend weddings, or naming ceremonies, visit friends or family in other communities, and also importantly, to bring goods from the farm to the market.
According to him, “This, we will achieve by investing the money of the state in areas of economic advantage, namely farming, during the rainy season as well as during the dry season, raising animals at home by women, youths, and others, and improving transhumants through making the forest reserves and transhumants corridors modernized and improved.”
The former Minister added that,
“.And we’re not just doing this off the top of our heads. We have a blueprint for implementing this because agriculture is very important. We have something similar for solid minerals, so we have come very much prepared. Importantly, is the issue of paying salaries of workers on time and full payment, not part payment. These salaries go to our markets and small and medium businesses. that benefit them.”
He also assured that,”We’ll also improve our markets, particularly weekly markets such as Soro Market, Dindima Market, Darazo Market, and Alkaleri Market, the Liman Katagum Market, and so many other numerous markets. These markets are important to the economy of our state. They help to market what we produce and bring in much-needed household supplies. Millions of our people earn their livelihoods in these markets.”
He also stated that,”And we even benefit the economies of neighboring states, Nigeria as a whole, as well as neighboring countries. We will support farmers with inputs, irrigation, and access to markets, develop agro-processing industries to create jobs. We have a programme for halal, the halal industry.”
He also promised that,”We are going to Improve rural roads and storage systems. Our core message here is we will improve, we will move from subsistence to prosperity, making agriculture a business, not just survival.”
Furthermore, he stated that, “We will improve the security of Bauchi. Alhamdulillah, our state enjoys relative security in comparison with other states close to us. But we also have our own share, our fair share, of insecurity. And it is deteriorating. We will work with communities and security agencies to prevent the emergence of insecurity and tackle it. We will give a great deal of attention where it currently exists. We will use community policing and dialogue and importantly our traditional institution.”
He added that,”We will strengthen collaboration with security agencies and local communities. We will make local governments function the way they were meant to under the fourth schedule of our constitution. We will invest in intelligence gathering and community policing, address root causes of insecurity, youths unemployment, drug abuse, poverty, and lack of education.
“Our core message is no farmer should fear going to the farm, no trader should fear the road, and no child should fear going to school. We will improve education and youths employment. Our youths, where are you? Can you hear? Can you listen to what I’m saying? Our present and future depend on our youths. You are the leaders of today. You are no longer the leaders of tomorrow. We will give youths the opportunities in our government. We need your creativity. We need your energy, not only in campaigns, but in governance,” he stressed.
Tuggar added that, “We have plans, but we will work with youth groups to improve the plans and implement them together with you. In general, we will tackle the problem of out-of-school children through inclusive education policy. We will modernize schools and invest in teachers. We will expand vocational and technical training, aligned with market needs, promote digital innovation and entrepreneurship.”
According to him,”We have youths here in Bauchi that are interested in crypto. Everyone’s on crypto, boy! We will promote safe and legitimate digital businesses and learning, including support to computer villages and digital centers. Our core message is every child in school, every youth with a skill, every graduate engaged and pushed out of poverty.”
He also promised to promote and loans for housing, healthcare and inclusive governance. We will promote religious harmony and respect for traditional institutions. Our core message is we will help civil servants to find joy in their work, deliver for the people and avoid taking haram to their families and make our traditional, religious and religious leaders instruments of positive change.
“On infrastructure and urban development, we will develop major cities to become the anchor of development. We will improve roads, electricity and water supply. We will plan our cities to support growth and dignity. We will expand access to clean energy sources. The core message is development that reaches every community, not just a few. With women and community inclusion, the situation of women will be given special attention,” he added.
According to him,”The issue of healthcare and marriages will be given attention. Minority communities, Christians, will be protected and their rights will be guaranteed. We will recognize the role of women and communities, empower women economically and socially, strengthen community-based decision-making, and promote inclusion across all groups. The core message is, when women thrive, communities prosper.”
He also stressed that,”Bauchi is a state that is rich in solid minerals. I mentioned Monazite, the people of that area are very well aware of it. We have niobium, we have lead, zinc, we have granite, we have tin, we have tantalite, we have so many others, too many to mention. We are going to develop our state in such a manner that it will benefit the people.
“In closing, I want to make it unequivocally clear that this is not just my mission or my ambition, it is our collective mission. And I urge you to continue to support me as you’ve always done, and I would like to thank all of you that took the time to attend this. I would like to thank our leadership of the APC both at the national level and at the state level, and congratulate all of them that have been elected to these leadership positions. I would like to thank our federal and state legislators who took the time to attend this event. I would like to thank other important dignitaries that found time to be here with us today. And more importantly, I’d like to thank you, the people of Bauchi State.
There were goodwill messages from supporters and groups, all stressing the capacity and capabilities of Yusuf Maitama Tuggar to be the flag bearer of the APC in the general elections as he has the more chances than other aspirants.
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