Presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinibu has promised robust agricultural policies, including the introduction of Commodity Exchange Commission (CEC) if elected President of the country next year.
Tinubu, who is visiting Niger state for the third time ahead of the 2023 general election has appointed the Governor of Kebbi state who is also the Chairman of Progressive Governor’s Forum (PGF), Senator Abubakar Bagudu as the Chairman of the Agriculture sub-committee.
He told his supporters that he is able and capable of making Nigeria better than it is today against the backdrop of speculations of being not in good health conditions.
Addressing the northern Agro-commodity group stakeholders, Senator Tinubu further hinted that the CEC which will be established immediately he assumes office will boost agricultural value chain of Nigeria not only for local food sufficiency but for export purposes.
He added:“Once I emerge President next year, I will immediately set up commodity exchange commission to carter for our teaming farmers”, Tinubu said, adding that for Nigerian agricultural products to compete with others in the international market, the produce must have quality that meets international standards.
Tinubu,who assured Nigerians of a renewed hope and prospects for better days ahead for citizenry said he will be on the side of the Nigerian masses in keeping to his electioneering campaign promises.
Meanwhile, the APC Presidential hopeful has announced the appointment of Kebbi state Governor, Senator Abubakar Bagudu as the Chairman of the Agriculture sub-committee who should immediately liaise with the Director-General of his campaign team, Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau state and his Vice Presidential candidate, Alhaji Kashim Shittima in fashioning out a workable Agricultural blueprint for his administration.
According to Tinubu, “I am with immediate effect appointing Governor Bagudu of Kebbi state to chair our agricultural sector and fashion out our blue print and road map towards Nigeria’s agricultural prosperity from next year, insha Allahu”
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state had earlier in his welcome address reiterated the importance of Agricultural value chain especially for the northern part of the country, Niger state in particular using the verse land space to its advantage.
“Northern Nigeria, and indeed Niger state in particular is the undisputed food lifeline of Nigeria”, the Governor boasts, adding that the administration under his leadership in order to consolidate the Agricultural sector initiated some policies by resuscitating 19 moribund irrigation schemes.
Bello also told his host and the gathering that he rehabilitated 300 km of rural access roads under its RAMP World Bank assisted programme, and gazetted 8 out of the 25 grazing routes in the state including the popular Bobi games reserve with over 36,000 hectares of land.