Former Lagos Gov. Bola Ahmed Tinubu Saturday berated the Peoples democratic Party, PDP, for failing to develop Delta State in spite of the huge resources accruing to The Big Heart state.
Addressing a rally in Warri – the state’s economic powerhouse – Tinubu, who’s the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, accused the opposition PDP of abandoning infrastructural development in the state, thereby leaving it to rot away.
“Delta is among Nigeria’s largest oil and gas producing states,” he said. “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.”
Tinubu added: “Delta has all it takes to be great and help lead the nation forward. Yet, for the past twenty-three 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.”
Describing the state as another home to him, Tinubu promised to re-activate the Gas Revolution Industrial Park as well as seeing to the cleaning up of the entire Niger Delta region to ensure 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. President Buhari’s administration has made great strides in revisiting this project. We will complete it.
“Gas will become a national priority. I envision fertilizer and petrochemical plants, aluminum smelters, methanol plants, all creating jobs for the unemployed while producing goods that bolster farming, construction and other industries.
“We will step up and clean up the operations of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Ministry of the Niger Delta.
“The NDDC will be improved. Greater cooperation with communities which have suffered the environmental degradation will be my policy.
“I am saddened by the environmental cost which the oil and gas industry has exacted. Our moral and economic duty call us to clean the Niger Delta and to create new opportunities for young Deltans to build better lives for themselves,” he said.
On infrastructural development of the state, which he said is in a sorry state, Tinubu said:
“We will help develop the infrastructure of your state. The deep sea port project and the Omadino – Escravos Road project will be revisited. We will rehabilitate Warri, Koko, Sapele and Burutu ports, creating yet more jobs in the State.”
He also pledged to make the state safe for all, highlighting that businesses can only thrive in a safe environment.
“My government will deploy new technologies to protect the safety and security of law- abiding Deltans as well as the critical national infrastructure situated in this state. We will also introduce greater funding and reform policies to bring the Nigerian police closer to the communities they serve,” Tinubu said.
Tinubu’s wife came with him to the rally which was held at the Warri Township Stadium.
Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, who’s from the state, used her native Itsekiri language to address her people, urging them to vote for APC so they could have one of their own in Aso Rock.
Others who spoke at the rally – which was attended by APC bigwigs – include the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Omo-Agege, and former Edo Gov. Adam Oshiomhole who accused Delta Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa – the PDP vice presidential running mate – of under-developing the state.
