Thank God, Buhari is getting stronger —Kogi governor

FOLLOWING his return to the country from nearly two months of medical vacation in the United Kingdom, President Muhammadu Buhari’s health has greatly improved and is much stronger now, Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, has observed.

Bello, alongside his Kano State counterpart, Umar Ganduje, was at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday, to observe the Jumat prayers with the president.

In a chat with correspondents after the prayers, he affirmed that the president was better and only now required the prayers and support of all citizens.

Asked what he was in the Villa for, he said: “It’s usual. We come on Fridays and we follow Mr President to pray Jumat prayers and we are happy that he is getting stronger and stronger by the day and we can only thank Almighty Allah for this wonderful job that he has done for this country.

“I only urge all Nigerians to continue to pray and give him all the necessary support. Nigeria is going to be better.”

Bello rejected suggestions that his administration’s policies were not beneficial to the people of Kogi State, saying that those who said so wanted the resources to be shared among them.

“Yes, it can only be so for those who will want the little resources of the state to be shared. And if I am not including those who want the little resources to be shared, if they term that to be non-inclusive, then I don’t have apologies because the resources of the state is meant for everybody in the state and that’s exactly how I am applying it,” he stated.

The governor commended the president for nominating a Kogi State indigene, Professor Steven Ikani Ocheni, for a ministerial appointment and gave the assurance that the nominee would do the president proud.

He said: “I thank the good people of Kogi State. Today, we have a ministerial nominee. Steven Ikani Ocheni is a renowned professor. He is versatile, a workaholic. He is never tired and I am very sure he is going to make Mr President very proud.

“He is going to make Nigeria proud and the good people of Kogi State proud. We thank Mr President for this wonderful nomination.”

Also speaking with correspondents, Kano State governor, Ganduje, said his government was negotiating with Chinese firms for the Kano light rail project, adding that the state was forging ahead with other sectors.

“We have issues of light train in Kano and we are discussing with the Chinese and many other aspects of development, especially now that agriculture is the answer to the economic development of Nigeria,” Ganduje said.

He expressed gratitude to President Buhari “for bringing peace and stability to Nigeria, especially for fighting the insurgency in the north-east of Nigeria.”

Noting that insurgency was the main economic hindrance, especially in the north, he added: “Having attained a high degree of stability now, I think it is imperative to open our doors. Kano being the commercial nerve centre of the North and the commercial nerve centre of some West African countries, we think it is good to collaborate.”