Nupe People Present Shopping List To Jonathan

Posted by admin Latest Politics Saturday, February 12th, 2011

The Nupe people of Niger State have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to seize the opportunity of his visit to the state today to address some of their problems.

The Nupe Foundation, an umbrella cultural organisation of all Nupe living in Niger, Kwara, Kogi, FCT, Nasarawa states and other parts of the world, in a release welcoming the president to Niger State for the flag-off of the 2011 governorship campaign of incumbent Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, listed five major issues which the president must address.

Top on the list was the creation of Edu State and the establishment of the Hydro Power Authority Development Commission (HYPADEC). According to the release signed by the Foundation’s president, Engr. Yabagi Y. Sani (Shettima Raba Nupe), these problems have had negative effects on the socio-economic life of the people.

“The Foundation would like to seize the auspicious opportunity of your historic presence in the state capital of the headquarters of Nupe people, currently Niger State, and in no distant future the proposed Edu State, to bring to your attention the following age-long socio-economic needs of Nupe people living in Niger and Kwara states: The construction of the Bida-Nupeko road and the bridge across River Niger; the completion of the dredging of River Niger and other ports at Baro and Pategi; the exploration of the oil and gas hydrocarbon deposit in Bida Basin and the creation of Edu State.

The Foundation, which urged the president to direct the relevant government agencies to commence work on “these simple, genuine and justified requests,” pointed out that the numerical strength of the Nupe has always determined the outcome of political elections in Niger State as well as in other states where they have a heavy presence.

“For instance, Mr. President, could at the podium in Niger State cause the immediate grading of the Bida-Nupeko road by the appropriate agency of the Federal Government. This road represents the major artery that sustains the social and economic relationships of the Nupe in both Niger and Kwara states. This simple action of grading this road will not cost more than fifty million naira (N50 million) but the goodwill it will produce for your administration is immeasurable.

“This may also endear you to the fourth largest homogeneous ethnic group, the Nupe, in this country at this crucial time of your campaign for victory at the polls in 2011”, the Foundation stated.

The Foundation disclosed that it would convene a Nupe summit where issues on who the Nupe should give their votes to in the April general elections would form the major agenda.

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