By Ismaila Chafe
Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State says the chances of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to retain political power at the national and Nasarawa State levels are “bright and excellent”.
The governor made this known while fielding questions from State House correspondents after he met with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed door at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday.
Sule said: “Is it formula or what are the chances? They are two different things. Formula, I cannot tell you, but chances are bright, our chances are excellent, both at the national and at the state levels.
”For us in Nasarawa, if I can speak mostly for Nasarawa, the three senators happen to be from the same party, the governor from the same party, 20 out of the 24 members of House of Assembly, all APC.
“We have done the best we can for the state and I think people appreciate that.
”So, for that reason, we think our chances are excellent and we strongly believe we should be able to win the election.”
Sule said he was in the Presidential Villa to thank Buhari for approving the establishment of almost completed Agricultural Machinery Institute, a Teaching Hospital in Lafia and support on oil discovery whose operation would start in the next few days.
According to him, he equally discussed the preparation for the President’s visit to Nasarawa State on Feb. 4.
The governor, who described political atmosphere in the state as “cool”, saluted politicians in his state for playing by the rules during campaigns.
He said the state had not experienced so much negative campaigns and the denial of opponents access to venues of campaigns.
“So far, we have given them the same venue because we want to be fair to everybody, to play clean politics and at the end of the day, whoever God says will be leader will be a leader,” Sule said.
On the federal government’s plan to construct Gitata-Panda-Guruku- Mpape Road as an alternative shorter route to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), he attributed the delay in the commencement of the project catered for in the 2022 budget to funding challenges.
He, however, said that the state government had provided a temporary rural road from Gitata to Panda and fixed bridges around Gitata.
The governor dismissed insinuations that the state government had not given the deserved developmental attention to Karu Local Government Area, which was instrumental to revenue generation in the state because of its proximity to the FCT.
Sule said a terminal that housed all the motor parks had been constructed to reduce the heavy traffic, adding that work had started on the road between Masaka and Luvu where a lot of residents live.
He said: “Directly opposite it, as part of development, we got an investor that is actually building a Shoprite there and then we’ll construct a bridge across to link the Shoprite with other roads in the area.
“We have done the former Race Course, for some of you who know Wuje, we’re now constructing what we call a Technology Village in the area.
”Work has also commenced in that area and I have visited that area personally, about two weeks ago, to see the progress of work.
“So, a lot is going on in Karu, but it all depends on what area of work you want to see.”
On the National Livestock Transformation Programme (NLTP), the governor said the state government embraced the initiative situated in Awe Local Government Area to ensure peace and end the frequent clashes between herders and farmers. (NAN)
