A senatorial aspirant for Adamawa Central Senatorial District, Alhaji Aliyu Abbati, has declared that no presidential candidate can match the quality and leadership credentials of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Abbati, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said that although Adamawa is the home state of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), his presence would have no significant impact on the outcome of the election in the state.
Speaking to journalists in Yola, Abbati advised President Tinubu to concentrate his campaign efforts on other states, insisting that Adamawa was already secured for the President.
“Adamawa State has never had it so good under President Tinubu. We occupy key positions in the Federal Government. Just two days ago, another son of Adamawa, Abdulrazak Namdas, was appointed Director-General of the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA). What more do we need to give the President 99.9 per cent of our votes?” he asked.
The agricultural scientist, economist and policy strategist said the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the appointment of an Adamawa indigene as minister demonstrated the President’s commitment to the state’s development.
“As an economist and policy strategist on agriculture, I know the wealth that the ministry can generate for Adamawa State. It can create more wealth than some oil-producing states,” he said.
According to him, the establishment of the ministry would stimulate rural economic growth, create jobs and help tackle insecurity.
“The President has shifted economic prosperity to rural communities through the Ministry of Livestock Development. By implication, he is also fighting insecurity because many youths recruited into criminal activities come from poor rural communities,” he added.
The former Managing Director of the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) urged Nigerians to support President Tinubu, alleging that some elite groups opposed the administration because its policies favoured rural dwellers.
According to him, previous administrations had struggled with the choice between subsidising consumption and investing in productive sectors capable of generating sustainable economic growth.
“If I were in the position of President Bola Tinubu, I would also have removed the fuel subsidy, although perhaps with a phased implementation,” he said.
He explained that democratic governments often need to take bold decisions early in their tenure to establish a clear policy direction.
On insecurity, Abbati urged security agencies to adopt modern technology and intelligence-driven operations for improved results.
He also advocated community policing, saying rural communities should be empowered to defend themselves against bandits and terrorists.
“Security is everyone’s responsibility. Traditional rulers, local government chairmen and other community leaders should mobilise youths for community policing. Government alone cannot do it because some criminals are members of the communities and local leaders can help identify them,” he said.
Commenting on recent assessments by international financial institutions on poverty in Nigeria, Abbati cautioned against accepting such reports without critical analysis.
“The economy consists of many moving parts. When people describe policies as harsh, that is often a value judgment. We need to identify which specific policy is being discussed before drawing conclusions,” he said.
He added that while institutions such as the World Bank provide useful data, their findings should be subjected to careful economic scrutiny.
“I take such assessments with a pinch of salt until they are properly unpacked. Every assessment deserves critical examination because there are also policies that are enabling businesses and creating wealth,” he noted.
Abbati maintained that no economy could be fairly assessed without considering both its challenges and the opportunities created by policy reforms.
He described the Tinubu administration as one of the best in recent times and called on Nigerians to give the government their full support to accelerate national development.
