Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has slammed the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) for failing to develop oil-rich Delta State despite the huge resources accruing to the state since 1999.
Tinubu made the observation amid intermittent chants of ‘Jagaban,’ at the party’s kick-off rally, which took place recently at the Warri Township Stadium in Warri South Local Government Area of the state.
The rally was attended by the Senate president, Ahmed Lawan; APC deputy national, South, Mr Emma Enekwu, who represented the national chairman Abdullahi Adamu; the vice presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima and his wife, Nana Shettima, and Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the presidential candidate and daughter of Itsekiri land.
Also in attendance were the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma; governor of Plateau State and director-general of the campaign, Hon. Simon Lalong; deputy senate president, Ovie Omo-Agege, who is also the state’s governorship candidate of the party. Others are, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Idris Wase; members of the APC National Working Committee, ministers including the Youth and Sports minister, Chief Sunday Dare; and Labour & Employment (State), Festus Keyamo (SAN) and the former governor of Edo State and Edo North APC senatorial candidate, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
At the Warri City Stadium also were thousands of excited Deltans and APC faithful who gave a rousing welcome to the presidential candidate, the state’s governorship candidate and their entourage. On arrival, Tinubu, while addressing the rally, accused the opposition party of abandoning infrastructural development in the state and leaving the state in decay and penury.
“Delta is among Nigeria’s largest oil and gas producing states. Revenue from oil and gas has historically been the backbone of government revenue and foreign exchange earnings.
“As such, your state and other oil producers have made a one-of-a-kind financial contribution to the building of modern Nigeria. The nation is thankful to you.
“Delta has all it takes to be great and help lead the nation forward. Yet, for the past 23 years, those governing your state have taken you for a hard and long ride by selling you short. They have not done the things they should have and could have done for you.
“The infrastructure in the state was better 30 years ago than it is now. The state has recorded historic debts run up by the incumbent yet the infrastructure and other things still remain lacking because of under-investment and neglect.
“The money is much, but it does not have legs. Where did it go? Not to your welfare. Perhaps, it has found a home with a certain presidential candidate who loves Dubai more than Nigeria.
“But Delta State is not an ATM for migratory politicians. It is a place where good and hardworking people reside and work to create decent and peaceful lives for themselves and their families,” he said.
Speaking on his plans for the state, which he described as another home to him, Tinubu promised to re-activate the gas revolution industrial park while also seeing to the cleaning of the whole Niger-Delta region to ensure that the host communities do not suffer for building the nation’s economy through their oil.
“Our government will further re-activate the Multi-Billion Dollar Gas Revolution Industrial Park Project.
