By Golok Nanmwa
JOS – Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has said President Bola Tinubu met Nigeria in an intensive care unit, ICU, when he assumed office but has gradually moved the country into recovery through his administration’s policies.
Mutfwang stated this on Saturday while speaking at the APC North-Central Presidential Campaign Rally at the Zaria Road Stadium, Jos, where he declared Plateau State’s support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The governor said, “You met Nigeria in the intensive care unit, and through the policies you have administered, like a drug, you have been able to bring Nigeria out of the intensive care unit. We are now in recovery.
“We are confident that if you continue, we will not only recover but prosper as well. That is why we are determined that in the 2027 election, there is no alternative for us. We will stick with you and go with you.”
He described Tinubu as a friend of Plateau State and the North-Central region, citing the Federal Government’s interventions in road infrastructure, education and healthcare.
“We consider you as a friend of Plateau State and North-Central Nigeria in general. You have demonstrated your love for our state and our region through the developmental strides we have seen in road infrastructure, education and healthcare.”
“On the Plateau, students in tertiary institutions have received assistance through the NELFUND scheme to the tune of over N11 billion. You have approved the road from Akwanga to Jos. You have also approved the road from Jos to Shendam, right through to Ebonyi. We are truly grateful,” he said.
Mutfwang also commended the President’s wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her support to the people of Plateau State, recalling her visit to the state with gifts.
“Your dear wife, our mother, is a darling of the Plateau people. We now know that we have a mother in Aso Rock. When she came visiting us, she did not come empty-handed. Like a good mother, she came with a bag full of gifts for our people, and we will always be grateful,” he said.
On presidential election
Recalling his promise to reciprocate Tinubu’s kindness during the President’s previous visit, the governor said the time had come for Plateau people to demonstrate their appreciation through their votes.
“The time has come and the time is now. By the grace of God, we are going to show our gratitude come January 16, 2027, because we have seen a man who loves us.”
“When Plateau takes a direction, many other communities that share affinity with it will also follow suit. We are confident that the votes we will give Mr President in this election will be unprecedented,” he said.
On security, Mutfwang commended the Federal Government for its support, saying the state had recorded significant progress in tackling insecurity in the last three months.
“In the last three months particularly, we have made tremendous progress in dealing with insurgency. Like you have often said, we will defeat insurgency, and already we can see victory on the way.”
“With commitment and sustainability, we will eliminate these enemies of peace and progress, and we are confident that you will lead us in that direction,” he said.
The governor, however, appealed to Tinubu to support the state in facilitating the return of internally displaced persons to their ancestral communities.
“We will continue to solicit your help, Mr President, to make sure that our people who are internally displaced return to their ancestral homes.
“We will be approaching you with a Marshall Plan for the return of our people to their ancestral homes. It is going to require substantial intervention from you, and we are confident that what you have done before, you will do again,” he said.
Mutfwang also appealed to the President to assist in completing the Zaria Road Stadium, describing it as a facility whose construction began about 40 years ago.
“Mr President, I will be pleading with you on behalf of the Plateau people. Please roll away our reproach. We need your help to make this stadium one of the international stadiums in Nigeria. I am sure it will become a symbol of pride for you when this is done,” he said
He further disclosed that his administration had established an employment hub expected to provide jobs for 2,000 young people, alongside a technology hub designed to support security operations.
“We have created an employment hub for 2,000 young people who will be working in America and Europe from the comfort of their homes here in Jos.
“We have also created another hub for technology so that we can deploy effective technology for the detection of criminals,” he said.
The governor added that additional buses had been procured to ease transportation challenges facing residents of the state.
Vanguard News
