Niger APC gov candidate to pact security agencies, assures women of 35% slot

By Christiana Ekpa

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Honourable Mohammed Umar Bago has pledged increased partnership with security agencies and traditional institutions in the state to tackle the menace of insecurity if elected as the state governor.

Bago stated this during the Bago/Yakubu Youth Summit in Minna where he claimed that insecurity is threatening peace and progress in the state.

“We are working as a government with security agencies and we will increase more collaboration with the traditional institutions and security agencies to curb the menace of insecurity across the state” he stated.

The governorship candidate also assured the youths that his administration would work towards improving its revenue base by focusing on agriculture to reduce over-dependence on revenue from the federation account.

According to him: “We will engage ourselves in mechanized agriculture, we will feed ourselves and export food to other parts of this country and abroad. We have strategic plans and blueprints on how to revamp the economy, it will not be business as usual, we have to wake up and work for ourselves.”

He disclosed that his government would exceed the United Nations affirmative action of 35 per cent of women appointed to government positions.

“This government is for the women. We will give a considerable number of women the opportunity to represent the womenfolk in the system. The United Nations affirmative action for women talks about 35 per cent, we will exceed that during my administration in Niger state,” he said.

Speaking, Niger State Governor, Alh. Abubakar Sani Bello noted that the victory of APC in the 2023 general elections is already assured going by the plans unveiled by the governorship candidate.

Bello, represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Ketso, said: “We want the youths to be very productive. While we were worried about the youths, your programme for the youths is giving us comfort. We disown every negative name given to youths. Youths in Niger State are progressive.”