National protest: Arewa group urges Tinubu to relocate Kano’s Digital Innovation Park to Kebbi
By Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna
A group, Concerned Northern Forum, (CNF) has called on president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to relocate the Digital Innovation Park in Kano to Kebbi state.
The group made the call through its Spokesperson, Comrade Abdulsalam Mohammed Kazeem in a press conference held on Monday, while reacting to the violent protests in Kano state that led to the destruction of lives and properties, including the looting of the innovation park by miscreants.
According to Abdulsalam, government innovations should be domiciled in a state with relative peace like Kebbi and not a violence prone environment.
CNF while applauding the Kebbi state Governor, Dr. Nasir Idris added that the Governor chose to prioritise peace and welfare of his citizens against personal gain, stressing that the ongoing nationwide protests should have been averted if other Governors across the country toe the path of peace.
“Contrary to what is happening in other states across the federation, Kebbi State remains a model, thanks to the dedication and commitment of the Executive Governor, Comrade Dr. Idris Nasir. For him to have prevailed on the youths and people of his state not to be involved in the senseless nationwide hunger means he has channelled the revenue, palliatives and other incentives meant for his people towards alleviating the hardship occasioned by the necessary difficulties occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy and other timely economic reforms of the current administration.
“Dr. Nasir Idris therefore deserves commendations for upholding the ideals of the Renewed Hope Agenda and aligning his state to take advantage of all the interventions of this current administration.
“It should be noted that, what the Executive Governor of Kebbi and a few other governors have done could have been replicated in other states as the allocation available to state governments all over the federation has doubled following the courageous removal of fuel subsidy regime by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We therefore call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to go after governors that have decided to feed fat on the huge allocations coming from the federal government rather than using them judiciously to provide succour and comfort for their citizens.
“Similarly, the federal government should consider punitive measures on states where sensitive government property and infrastructure were destroyed by relocating the affected facilities to neighbouring states with functional governors to serve as incentives for hard work and dedicated stewardship.
“For instance, the Digital Innovation Park in Kano, built to support Mr. President’s 3 Million Technical Talent accelerator (3MTT) which was set ablaze in Kano and looted in Kano should be relocated to Kebbi State. It will be a grave injustice for the federal government to consider rebuilding such a strategic facility in a state where the governor is working at cross purposes with the federal government and does not have the grip on his citizens.
“Kebbi State is also part of the North West and it won’t be fair if this great Comrade Governor is not rewarded for his sterling leadership and support for the policies and projects of the government at the centre. With the youthful population, economic viability and eagerness for job creation by the governor, relocating this project in Kebbi will boost the economy of the state and increase its internally generated revenue by over N300 billion. Indeed, Kebbi State needs interventions like this more than Kano State regardless of the governor’s high impact governance.
“As one who has prioritised his people above his personal gains, Dr. Nasir Idris’ one year in office has been characterised by a transformation in the infrastructural landscape of the state. He has also revolutionised Education, Health Care, Agriculture, Security and other key sectors of the economy. No wonder, with his kind intervention, the people of Kebbi State felt an obligatory need to obey him and refrain from unleashing mayhem on their states as it is happening elsewhere.
“If all state governors and other elected representatives decided to act responsibly and avoid the temptation for primitive accumulation, Nigerians would have chosen to side with the truth as against the faceless, deceptive protest organisers.
“As we pass a vote of confidence on Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris, the Executive Governor of Kebbi State, we call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to always consider patriots and progressives in the sharing and handling of sensitive national assignments. He is a true leader and should be rewarded for his loyalty. Kebbi State should be remembered and included in more intervention projects as the governor is sincerely working to lift his people out of poverty and suffering,” Abdulsalam said.
