By Ken Afor
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, in a reported show of apology, visited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa and knelt before him on Friday. This development is coming on the heels of the governor’s public statement, supporting the criticism of Tinubu’s government by the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi to the effect that the administration has failed in food security and economic development.
It would be recalled that Governor Bago, who was at the Leadership 2023 Conference and Awards, had referred to Mr. Obi as ‘my boss’ and publicly aligned his views with him for criticizing Nigeria’s acceptance of donations of grains from the war-battered country, Ukraine.
In his remarks, the governor had emphasized the importance of speaking the truth and the need for Nigeria to become self-sufficient and productive rather than relying on handouts and aid.
He expressed frustration at the country’s dependence on foreign aid, citing the example of a war-ravaged Ukraine providing food despite being in a state of war. He advocated for a shift towards productivity as the solution to poverty.
His words: “My boss, you are very right on what you’ve said. We have no reason to be poor. People may not like you, but they must hear you. What you say is the gospel truth.
“It is time we tell ourselves the basic truth. We need to feed ourselves. It is a shame for people like Ukraine in war to be giving us food.
“Nigeria needs to be productive. You cannot be out of poverty unless you start to produce. I’m not an advocate of handouts and palliative. I don’t believe in it.”
Mr Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, in his criticism, had urged the Tinubu administration to initiate ideas that would guarantee food security and boost productivity rather than relying on nations for assistance.
Given the governor’s public support of Obi’s criticism and his call for productivity and food security measures, many believe that it amounts to a radical departure from President Tinubu’s policies.
Meanwhile, in a picture that has gone viral, Governor Bago, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), reportedly realizing his mistake and, in a seeming attempt to reconcile with Tinubu in a gesture of humility and repentance, went down on his knees to greet the president. According to many, this gesture symbolizes an act of apology and submission.
Although, the exact details of the reasons of Bago’s visit to the presidential villa were not confirmed, observers believe that Bago’s alignment with Obi’s criticism of Tinubu’s administration was the reason of his visit in order to pledge his loyalty to Tinubu.
