By Halimah Olamide
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Saturday, promised to reactivate the Lake Chad Basin oil exploration.
He promised the Borno residents of adequate security when he is elected as Nigeria’s next president.
Tinubu spoke in Maiduguri when he led his campaign train to the state.
His running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, hails from the state.
He was the immediate former governor of the state.
His promise on security comes amidst the state recovering from years of insurgency.
“Security is top on our agenda and Nigeria will see peace and stability. The Borno people and their neighbours will witness prosperity and happiness,” he said.
Tinubu assuaged the feeling of those who are facing difficulties at the moment, saying ease would soon come their way.
The Presidential Candidate paid tribute to his running mate who, he said, he knew very well, saying the two of them share attributes that would be used to make Nigeria greater.
He said just like he did in Lagos, Shettima has also done the same in Borno by laying a good foundation and ensuring good leadership succession.
“Zulum is a symbol of continuity. Shettima is a representation of achievement,” he said.
The campaign train caused a heavy traffic congestion in the state capital.
In his address at the palace, the state governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, thanked Tinubu for picking a son of the state as his running mate.
“You have done all for us and now it is for us to deliver APC in Borno State,” he said.
Zulum said Tinubu is more than a political ally for the state as he had shown concerns for the difficult times the state went through during the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency more than anyone else.
“During our trying time he has always been with us. He has visited us between seven and eight times in the last eleven years. There is nobody else that has done anything like that for us.”
Speaking at the rally, Zulum charged the people of Borno State to troop out on Saturday, as they did for the rally, to show appreciation to Tinubu by casting their votes for him.
Taking turns to address the rally, former Borno State governors, Maina Ma’aji Lawal, Ali Modu Sheriff and Kashim Shettima, said Borno’s faith in APC has been strengthened with Shettima’S nomination as the vice presidential candidate of the party.
They assured Tinubu that the state would fulfill its part by giving overwhelming votes to him.
Governors Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa and Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state, challenged residents of Borno State to not allow any state overtake them in giving the APC more votes in view of the party’s magnanimity to them.