By: Adelowo Oladipo, Minna
The Governorship Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Niger State in the forthcoming 2027 general elections, Dr. Mohammed Kpautagi has said that he is fully prepared to give the State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a serious fight for the position during the governorship polls.
He stressed that by May 29, 2027, he is already foreseeing himself being sworn as the next Governor after he must have defeated Umaru Bago.
Mohamed Kpautagi stated this in an interactive session with Newsmen at his residence in Minna on Tuesday, adding that the road construction embarked upon by the ruling APC- led government in the state has reached only about 30 percent completion within Minna metropolitan areas since the projects began shortly after Umaru Bago was sworn in as in 2023
The ADC Gubernatorial Candidate said, he had gone round the nooks and crannies of the State to sensitize the people and have observed that the electorate have assured that they are going to cast their votes massively for the ADC.
He said that this is against the backdrops of the socio- economic situation plaguing the people as a result of the Fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government and coupled with the mismanagement of the resources of the State by the Governor since his assumption of office.
According to him, “the Governorship candidate on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mohammed Mamman Nami is not real because we know that he has come to campaign for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
“I can assure you that nobody is ready to vote for the President in the State including APC, because we are all tired of Mr. President,Bola Tinubu in Niger State. So we don’t see him as a problem at all. But it you are talking of opposition Party in Niger State,that is ADC, don’t even mention PDP,” he added.
He also said,”I am just waiting for the swearing in ceremony on the 29th of May, 2027″ adding that he is fully prepared to win the governorship election because Nigerlites are behind him while the State civil servants and the local government employees are also behind him.
According to him, “I have been talking to the State’s pensioners and I have assured them that it is the ADC who would solve their problems and I’m fully prepared to win the governorship election in Niger State in 2027 Governorship election in the state.”
Mohammed Kpautagi however debunked the rumour that he collected huge sums of money from the state Governor, for his campaign activities, saying, it is a baseless statement just as he stated categorically that as a 65 years old, such a thing is not going to happen stressing that even if Umaru Bago brings the money to him, he will send it back to him.
He said that, “I’m very sure the Governor cannot confront me with money because I’m prepared for the forthcoming general elections with my money. So, i don’t expect him to even confront me with money .”
He added that, “And even about the PDP Gubernatorial Candidate, Mohammed Mamman Nami, has he resigned from the ruling APC, he should let us see his resignation paper from APC because it is known to the people that it is the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesome Wike that sent him here . And he cannot deceive the people of Niger State. “
“Mamman Nami came before that he wanted to contest under APC, but he ran away because of the fear of the EFCC, he came back later that it was under ADC that he wanted to realize his Political ambition by contesting under the Party. But under the ADC, did anyone hear his name? But he is coming under the PDP now, everyone knows that it is because EFCC wanted to give him soft landing and as it is today PDP is not an opposition Party ,rather it’s a section of APC “
“And Nigerlites are aware that Mohammed Mamman Nami has come to campaign for President Bola Tinubu and we should ask ourselves who is the Presidential candidate of the PDP and apart from President Tinubu who will want to vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with this suffering and all the challenges bedeviling Nigerians at this moment across the country,” he maintained
Mohammed Kpautagi further argued that with the types of money being received on monthly basis from FAAC, that what impacts has it made in the lives of the citizens nor is it the road construction and fly overs in Niger State that has not reached 30 percent completion .
He revealed that what former Vice President Atiku Abubarkar who doubles as the Presidential candidate on the platform of ADC wants to do if he is voted into Power next year is to retore Fuel subsides, adding that with the removal of Fuel subsides,that it is the thing that has put every Nigerians in all this mess that the citizens are facing at the moment in the country.
He further stated that, “And I am telling you that by the time Alhaji Atiku Abubarkar comes on board as Mr. President and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces Federal Republic of Nigeria, next year, by the grace of God and he restores the Fuel subsides, things will go normal again in Nigeria.”
“The price of Rice, will go back to what it was before the subsidies removal, Pump price of Petroleum that was N230.00 during late former president Muhammadu Buhari will go back to what it was. In fact all all the prices of other staple foods and other things including the price of Cement will drop almost immediately and everything will become normal”, he concluded.
