18h Edition FlipBook Magazine

P D P DEMOCRATIC PARTY P D P DEMOCRATIC PARTY Vol. 1, No. 018 JULY, 2023 PDP Governors Hold High-Powered Maiden Meeting P D P S DEMOCRATIC PARTY P D P S DEMOCRATIC PARTY PDP-GF Postpones Solidarity Visit to Plateau State due to bad weather

His Excellency Bauchi State PDP GOVERNORS Sen. Bala A. Mohammed, CON His Excellency Rivers State Sir. Siminalayi Fubara,GSSRS His Excellency Akwa Ibom State Pastor Umo Eno His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Adamawa State Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, CON His Excellency Bayelsa State Sen. Douye Diri His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Delta State Sheriff Oborevwori His Excellency Edo State Mr. Godwin Obaseki His Excellency Enugu State Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah His Excellency Osun State Sen. Ademola Adeleke His Excellency Oyo State Engr. Seyi Makinde His Excellency Plateau State Barr. Caleb Mutfwang His Excellency Taraba State Lt. Col. Agbu Kefas Rtd. His Excellency Zamfara State Dauda Lawal

04 05 11 17 06 07 30 33 57 60 65 67 Editor’s Suite 29 Editorial Team Prologue Inaugural Speech by H.E Ahmadu Fintiri as second term Governor of Adamawa Inaugural Speech by Pastor Umo Bassey Eno as Governor Akwa Ibom State Inaugural Speech by Sheriff Oborevwori as Governor of Delta State Inaugural Address by H.E. Sen. Bala Mohammed, CON, as Executive Gov. of Bauchi State Inaugural Speech of Peter Mbah as Governor of Enugu State 38 43 52 The Inaugural Address by H.E Seyi Makinde as two-term Governor of Oyo State Inaugural Speech Delivered by H.E Caleb Manasseh Muftwang, as Governor of Plateau State Inaugural Speech of H.E Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, KSC, as Governor of Rivers State Inaugural Address by H.E. Lt. Col. Agbu Kefas, Rtd. Ph.D, as Governor, Taraba State Inaugural Address by H.E. Dauda Lawal as Governor of Zamfara State PDP-GF Holds inaugural Session PICTORIAL PICTORIAL 70 73 77 PDP Governors hold High-Powered Maiden Meeting in Abuja PDP-GF Postpones Solidarity Visit to Plateau State due to bad weather Tit-bits from the States CONT TS PDP gets set for Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo off-season Governorship Elections

04 It is that time again when we unveil another insightful edition of The PDP GOVERNORS, your trusted magazine to follow activities of State Governors who are of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This particular edition is a must-have in your library collection, being that it contains speeches presented by all PDP Governors who were sworn in on May 29, 2023, to kickstart their administrations. No doubt, it is a good resource to remember those times by. It is, indeed, a Collectors item. Also featured in this copy are snippets of activities from PDP governed States to give you a sneak peek into what they have been doing in their states. I assure you that you will be more informed and enlightened on the agenda of each State Governor. The first meeting of PDP Governors under Governor Bala Mohammed as Chairman is also covered in this edition. There is a lot more. On behalf of the team, I wish you a pleasant reading.

06 Sadiq Abubakar Wada

06 T his edition is basically a collection of Speeches and Agenda presented by Governors under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during their respective inauguration on May 29, 2023. The compendium is intended to be a verified reference material for anyone, institution(s) or any other interest that may have reason(s) to refer to declarations in the social contract between the Governors and their people when they assumed office. It could also be used to tick off promises as the Governors fulfil them in the course of their administrations. Also, it will serve as a yardstick for evaluating their performance at the end of their tenures. Of the 13 PDP Governors, only 10 were inaugurated on May 29, as the 3 other States – Bayelsa, Osun and Edo – hold off-season elections. Therefore, the speeches of the following Governors have been reproduced in the following pages: 1. Adamawa 2. Akwa Ibom 3. Bauchi 4. Delta 5. Enugu 6. Oyo 7. Plateau 8. Rivers 9. Taraba 10. Zamfara PRO LOGUE

07 P ermit me to express m y p r o f o u n d gratitude to God and to the people of Adamawa State who have made it possible for me to come back as your Governor for the next four years. This historic event taking place today embodies and highlights the heroic sacrifice of patriots and a celebration of the triumph of the will of an embattled and battling people, loudly expressed through the last election. As a g o v e r nme n t o f popular consent, I am mindful of the honour and the responsibility this has bestowed on me. I hereby affirm and declare that hope has been restored, and true change has come to Adamawa State. Let us embrace, as I s o l e m n l y p l e d g e t o provide the leadership that is required to make this change work for the good of all. It will be a change that will balance policy and politics; a change that will eschew might over right and treat all c i t i z e n s a s e q u a ls; a transformational change that will harness the vast human potentials of the people into Gov. Umaru Fintiri HOPE RESTORED: HIS EXCELLENCY, RT. HON. AHMADU UMARU FINTIRI INAUGURAL SPEECH BY AS SECOND TERM GOVERNOR OF ADAMAWA STATE

08 attaining and enjoying the dividends of Democracy which have so far eluded them. A change where security of lives and property of citizens will not be negotiated or compromised. In doing so, we must put b e h i n d u s t h e twist e d narratives of the past and break out from our selfimposed limitations realising that each and every one is a repository of potentials waiting to be tapped and d r e ams w a i t i n g t o b e actualised. Politics is over and the stage i s n o w s e t f o r t h e extraordinary job of making Adamawa State work again. I am cons c ious of the challenges and difficulties that lie ahead but someone once said that “the task ahead of us can never be greater than the power that lies within us”. This me ans tha t nothing can stop the mome n t um o f a determined people with a purpose to accomplish. Today is, therefore, a call to action in the f a c e o f t h e tremendous support n e e d e d t o ma k e change a reality for everyone. H o w w e l l w e respond to this call will determine how far we will go in meeting the expectations. The journey to Dougirei House has been a long one for me and victory could not have been possible without your support. Those who followed my journey will know the hurdles, the accusations, my i n c a r c e r a ti o n b u t Go d Almighty is the ultimate planner who gives power to whom He wills. I did not get this far because I am the best politician or b e t t e r t h a n t h e o t h e r contestants; I was simply chosen by the Almighty Creator to be your governor once more. With your support, no mountain will be too high to climb or problem too difficult to surmount. After all, a leader is only as good as the people he leads. As a people, we need each other to progress more than e v e r b e f o r e . G o d h a s deposited on each of us, a unique personality and talent our diversity should be our g r e a t e st str e n g t h n o t weakness. I do not claim to have all the answers, therefore each and everyone who desires to have a say in how the state is governed is welcome to do so but to do so constructively. On my watch, security of lives and prosperity shall be the primary responsibility of Government, while the rights of citizens, justice, equity, merit, competence and diligence shall prevail. In this regard, let me sound a note of warning to the Local Cult group currently t e rr o risi n g o u r neighbourhood not to test our resolve but to shape up or ship out. The so-called Shilla cult group have two weeks to reform as this Government comes to power after w h i c h t h e f u l l complement of the L a w w i l l b e unleashed against t h em a n d o t h e r criminals terrorising

09 our State. This dispensation shall harbour no scared cows neither will we be bullied or intimidated by disgruntled elements seeking to derail the wheels of State craft. We shall be fair but firm, resolute but considerate. Never again shall the divideand-rul e poli cy of the inglorious past determine the d e p l o yme n t o f p u b l i c resources and services. We shall improve the lot of Adamawa State workers and pensioners and free them f r o m t h e f e a r o f victimisation, the pangs of injustice and abuses; all the d i r e c t r e s u l ts o f b a d gove rnanc e and wrong decisions. What happened in 2014 was a child play and nothing compared to what will happen now. Payment of salaries, pension and gratuity on time shall be routine as will be yearly increment and promotions. We shall strive to build a r o b u s t h a r m o n i o u s g o v e r n m e n t / l a b o u r relationship based on the trust and experiences accumulated over the years. My fellow citizens, progress in government will not come the day after, just as greater height is not attained by sudden flight, except by the determination, drive and the character for getting things right. My aspiration for Adamawa State is to be listed among the comity of best States not just in Nigeria but the world. My dream is to restore it to its original name and glory as the State of Beauty and Hospitality. The central message is, think progress, think development, p u t A d a m a w a fi r s t . Hopefully, we will set the pace and become the standard by which others measure t h e m s e l v e s . T h i s i s achievable with your support. I challenge all from today to contribute your quota, no matter how little, towards achieving this development of our dear state. I invite all citizens/residents alike, my dearest Talakawas, our elders, Royal fathers and stakeholders in the Adamawa project to come together to lay a solid foundation that will stand the test of time because this is the only place we have, we have no option but to make it work. It is heart-warming to see that the people have embraced our eleven-point agenda to begin building the new Adamawa State for which they have loudly made their voices heard. I am glad to assure you that this leadership will be about adding value to the lives of people not taking away from them. Transparency shall be our watchword, fairness and accountability, the new mantra. N e v e r a g a i n s h a l l Government be run as a personal estate of a single individual. The fear of God, not the fear of man, shall be the guiding light of our government; a government that shall do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will, as the oath of office which we have subscribed to outlines. We will gr adua lly and systematically implement and sustain our eleven-point agenda until Adamawa State sheds its toga of a pariah State, a state in which anything goes. In this dispensation, there will be no quick fixes, shortcuts or actions inspired by fiat but a knowledge-driven s o c i a l l y a c c o u n t a b l e governance based on global best practices. Our inability to see ourselves as members of one big family has been the bane of our growth. We have every right to be proud of who we are as citizens of Adamawa State whose contribution to the political stability of the country at large has long been acknowledged.

10 Regrettably, a state founded on lofty ideals and hope borne of equal opportunities and real prosperity has been brought down on its knees, gasping for a breath of “Fresh Air”. I, therefore, invite all sons and daughters of the State who are making their marks in all spheres of human endeavour within and outside the shores of this country, to rally round and support this New Direction Agenda. I invite each and every citizen who has something to offer to come back home so that together we can work for the greater Adamawa State of our dreams. I am sure you all know that it is not so much about how rich our State is, it is about how we ll we c an apply the resources we have to meet the needs of our people. In this regard, the growing youth population is our greatest asset. We shall harness the strength and creative energies of the youth into a winning formula. This is not going to be easy, g i v e n t h e n u m b e r o f frustrated and shortchanged army of unemployed youth b u t t h is is a t a s k o u r government is committed to accomplish. We will also work urgently on resuscitating the Health sector and break the jinxs of Educational excellence by inve sting in Te a che r’s we lf a r e , Tr a i n i n g a n d infrastructure. We will revive Primary Health Care for children, empower our women and grant easy access to effective medical services. My fellow citizens, these programmes I have so far o u t l i n e d a r e n o t j u st paperwork. They are the objectives we are passionate about and the indices to hold us to account. They are also a means of making our pact with the people very clear. We challenge the electorate to judge us based on extent to which we have fulfilled this pact. Be rest assured that we will strive to give a good account of ourselves, live by our words and not promise what we cannot deliver. Finally, as we depart forth, let us be prepared to roll up our sleeves for the job of building a St a t e tha t works for everyone, a State in which everywhere and everybody is involved and nowhere is left out. May the same God who was with us throughout the struggle for this mandate r ema i n wit h u s a s we commence the quest to take Adamawa to the promise land. Thank you and God bless.

11 BY PASTOR UMO BASSEY ENO INAUGURAL SPEECH AS GOVERNOR OF AKWA IBOM STATE Protocol My dearAkwaibomites 1. I stand here as a product of God’s awesome grace, a testament of His enduring love, and as an instrument of blessings in His steady and dependable Hands. I therefore, dedicate this day to the Almighty God, to you my dear people, who, in spite of the welter of falsehoods, of manufactured lies, vile and m o r a l l y o b j e c t i o n a b l e propaganda woven about me and my capacity to serve you as your Governor, you chose truth over lies and decided to A.R.I.S.E. with our vision. 2. Let me thank my Political F a t h e r a n d my w o rt h y Predecessor, H.E., Mr. Udom Emmanuel, who supported me Gov. Umo Bassey Eno

12 against all odds, to make this d a y a r e a l i t y. To o u r immediate past First Lady, Dr ( M r s ) M a r t h a U d o m E m m a n u e l , a n d o u r Campaigner-in-Chief, thank you for your extraordinary support. To my Political Father, I know you will always avail yourself to us, any time we knock on your door for your wise counsel. I know you will not throw away the baby you helped give birth to. God bless you immensely. 3. Let me also thank all the past leaders of our State from the Military era, BrigadierGeneral Tunde Ogbeha (rtd), Major General, Godwin A b b e ( r t d ) , L a t e A i r Commodore (Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga (rtd), Late O b o n g A k p a n Is emi n , Colonel Yakubu Bako (rtd), Late Navy Captain Joseph Ad ewu si (rt d ), Gr o u p Captain Jonn Ebiye (rtd), Obong (Arc) Victor Attah, Disti n g u is h e d Se n a t o r (Barrister) Godswill Obot Akpabio (CON) and of course, my Political Father, M r. U d o m E m m a n u e l (CON). Thank you for your great service to our dear State. 4. Please permit me at this p o i n t t o p u t o n m y clergyman’s hat, and quote from St. Luke’s Gospel, Chapter 1, verses 46-50, u si n g t h e Ki n g J ame s version: “And Mary said “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour, for He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.” 5 . S t a n d i n g h e r e t h is a ft e r n o o n , my f e l l o w Akwaibomites, and fully c o n s c i o u s o f t h i s inspirational moment, I cannot help but get a little emotional. I am in awe of the grace that has located me, I am in awe of the blessings of the Lord in my life. If someone had told me years ago, that I would stand here, a s the newly sworn-in Governor of this blessed Piece of Godly Real Estate, a State that is appropriately named after God himself, I would have told him to see a physician for doses of malaria or hallucinating drugs, not because I didn’t trust what God can do; not b e c a u s e I w a s n o t aspirational, but because the circumstance of existence then, was to say the least, bleak and uncertain. 6. My story is well known to you, but please permit me to repeat some elements, so you will be further inspired by it. I was born in the police barracks and had lost my Father at a very young age and the burden to raise my siblings and I, fell on my late Mother, a true Amazon, who went on to instill in us, the virtues and values of hard w o r k , f a i t h i n t h e unchangeable designs of God Almighty, honesty of purpose and faith in the goodness of the human condition. 7. Life in the police barracks back then was drab and dreary and all around us, were things that were designed to bring out the worst instincts in us. I was the one most people thought would not amount to anything. No one gave me a fighting chance to succeed. But because God’s p l a n s w o u l d a l w a y s c o n f o u n d t h e w is e , I s u m m o n e d h o p e a n d overcame. I could have fallen through the cracks of life, and be swallowed by the gaping hole that we daily encounter; I could have surrendered to some negative tendencies a ss o c i a t e d w i t h p e e rpressure, but I summoned hope and kept my head above t h e m u r k y w a t e rs o f despondency. 8. This moment therefore, represents the ultimate vindication of those lofty and uplifting words as contained in Psalm 125 KJV that “They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever.” If the child of a lowly maidservant like me could overcome and thrive in the private sector, running a conglomerate of concerns spread across the hospitality a n d s e r v i c e i n d u str y, e m p l o y i n g o v e r t w o thousand workers. And now, the Governor of this great State, you too, can and you will!

13 9. Let me at this time, thank my dear Wife and our First Lady, Pastor (Mrs.) Patience Umo Eno, my wonderful children and their spouses, my siblings. Thank you for standing by me and urging me to march on when my spirits needed those critical doses of filial prayers and support and for constantly assuring me that what God has started in praise cannot end in shame. To my Deputy G o v e r n o r , H . E . Distinguished Senator Akon Eyakenyi, thank you for partnering with me to usher in this Golden Era for our dear State. 10. To the leadership of our g r e a t P a rt y, t h e P D P, especially the Chairman, Elder Aniekan Akpan, and the entire State Working Committee, thank you for standing by me. To the C a m p a i g n C o u n c i l , especially my D.G., H.E. Ambassador Assam Assam, thank you for the long hours you put in. 11. To our Fathers in Faith and the entire evangelical community in the State, you prayed and interceded on my behalf. To God be the glory, honour and adoration. His name has been lifted and gloried. 12. To a ll the groups, especially the Maintain Peace Movement, the Female Youths, etc; thank you for the great work you all did. 13. To the Akwaibomites in the Diaspora, thank you for your support. I am eternally grateful to our Traditional Fathers, and our Elder Statesmen, especially our

14 former Governor, (Obong) Arc Victor Attah. 14. My dear Akwa Ibom people, as I accept this onerous task to open another chapter of the glittering and continuous story of our growth, development, peace and unity of our dear State and our people, I want you to be inspired by my story. 15. To those of you who may be struggling to put food on the table, if I overcame, you too can! To those who may have given up on life because of the circumstances you currently find yourself, if I overcame, believe me, you too can! 16. To the youths of Akwa Ibom State, my story is your story. There is nothing you cannot achieve if you put your heart and mind in it. There is no mountain steep or slippery enough that you cannot climb and get to the a p e x if, t o q u o t e t h e inspirational words of my Political Father and my worthy Predecessor, His Exc e ll ency, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, “the passion is right.” 17. Today, Hilda Bassey, the Guinness World Record holder in the longest cooking hours by an individual, has epitomised the Dakkada Spirit. Enoh Ebong, the Director, United Sates Trade and Development Agency, who is part of President Biden’s delegation to the inauguration of Presidentelect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) is of Akwa Ibom ancestry. Ime Udoka, the former Head Coach of the Boston Celtics and now, Houston Rockets, has made u s a l l p r o u d . M y administration will work hard to produce more of these great and inspirational Akwaibomites. We will c r e a t e t h e e n a b l i n g environment for our youths to thrive, since everyone cannot b e g i v e n p o l i t i c a l appointments. 1 8 . M y f e l l o w Akwaibomites, in the last eight years, our State has witne ss ed monument a l developmental strides across all sectors, earning the n a t i o n a l a c c l a i m a s “Nigeria’s Best Kept Secret.” We owe my Predecessor and Political Father our debt of gratitude. From aviation development, where today we are the only sub national with a thriving airline in the nation, the Ibom Air, to the smartest Airport Terminal building, the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) the longest Taxiway in the nation, with Category 2 Certification, our story has b e e n o n e w h e r e , a s providentially stated in Job 22: 29, “when men are cast down, then thou shall say there is lifting up.” 19. Today, because my worthy Predecessor knew that the provision of world - c l a ss i n f r a st r u c t u r e , especially economically viable road network that connects the State seamlessly will ensure rapid economic development, we are blessed and ready to utilise this allimportant driver of growth, prosperity and development to connect the dots and A.R.I.S.E. further with our growth and development. 20.From investments in agri cultur e , he a lthc a r e delivery services, education, where our WAEC pass rate now stands at over 80 percent from the 60 percent it was a few years back, to changing our narratives of our State from a once purely CivilService oriented State to one that today has attracted Foreign Direct Investments with over twenty industries t h a t h a v e p r o v i d e d employment opportunities, to h u m a n c a p a c i t y development, rural and riverine development, sports, tourism, peace and security, my Predecessor has made this State ready for economic explosion. We would connect the dots and have our people A.R.I.S.E with us for greater glory and growth.

15 21. My worthy Predecessor, H.E. Udom Emmanuel, had commenced the digitalisation of the Civil Service. We will complete the process of Eg o v e r n a n c e . We w i l l prioritise the welfare of our civil servants and encourage a spirit of entrepreneurship in line with our Dakkada Spirit. 22. I was heartened and excited when our revered former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (GCFR), at the commissioning of the Eket-Etinan Road three weeks ago, while applauding my worthy Predecessor and Political Father, H.E. Mr. Udom Emmanuel for his foresight in providing world - class economically viable road network, advised that we utilise the roads and advance our development though agriculture. 23. My dear Akwaibomites, it may interest you to know that t h e fi rst l e t t e r i n o u r A .R.I. S . E . A g e n d a is Agriculture. We will invest heavily in this critical sector, and cause a revolution to occur. Agriculture is the new black gold and we will get our peopl e involved. Food security and investments in agro-allied sector will be an abiding article of faith. We will deploy our comparative advantage in blue economy, and ensure that our fishermen get proper financial value for their work. 24. We will continue the great works started by my worthy Predecessor, to improve the quality of life for those in the rural areas and thus help stem rural-to urban migration, we will continue to construct roads, link the remaining

16 communities that have not yet been connected to the national grid, and ensure that they have electricity, clean water and primary healthcare facilities to complement the great strides recorded by my worthy Pr ede c e ssor in s e c o n d a r y h e a l t h c a r e facilities. 25. We will maintain and advance the world-class infrastructure our State has come to be known for nationally and complete those that were started by my Predecessor, which time did not permit him to finish and commission. 26. Our State is nationally known as one of the most peaceful States in the nation. We will work hard to ensure that this critical element of the Soc i a l Contr a c t is maintained, so our people can continue to live in peace. Security of lives and property is the first order of business for government and we will follow this strictly. 27. We will work hard to ensure that we build our p e o p l e b y e x p a n d i n g opportunities for growth in business, leisure and tourism. We will continue to attract foreign investors by creating a b u s i n e s s - f r i e n d l y environment for investors to come live, invest and enjoy the Happy Hour that comes with hard work 2 8 . We will A.R.I.S.E together, to ensure that our public schools are equipped and staffed by teachers who are passionate and dedicated. Our children must be taught the new ways of the world, which revolves around ICT and entrepreneurial skills. 29. We will continue to invest i n h e a lt h c a r e d e li v e r y services, power, tourism, h u m a n c a p a c i t y development, youth and women empowerment. We have been blessed with world-class infrastructure, now is the time to accelerate our economic growth and the development of our people. I ask you to A.R.I.S.E, with us and let’s usher in the Golden Era for our dear State and our people. 30. Elections are over, and our kindred spirit must be renewed and deepened, we are all Akwaibomites first before politics. Politics therefore must not separate or s e v e r t h e t i e s o f o u r brotherhood and common heritage and aspirations, I pledge to you that I will be G o v e r n o r f o r a l l Akwaibomites, irrespective of political persuasions or affiliations. I call on our people to come together, and let’s build a State where the pain of one Akwaibomite is the pain of all, and where the success of one Akwaibomite is the success for all. We have b e e n t o o p o l a ri z e d b y politics. This should not be. As I said in my Victory Speech, we will set up a bipa rtis an r e conc ili a tion committee soon, so we can jaw-jaw instead of war-war on critical issues of our development, unity and brotherhood. 31. In conclusion, therefore, and as I stand before all of you and God Almighty to formally adorn this cap of leadership as the Governor of this great State, I will like to reiterate that I cannot achieve or actualise this vision alone. T h i s i s a c o l l e c t i v e responsibility, and I am very sure all of you patriotic citizens of Akwa Ibom State, will join hands with me to f u r t h e r p u s h t h e developmental strides as handed down by my worthy Predecessor. 3 2 . To t h is, a n d mo r e s u c c e ss e s, w h i c h w e collectively envisage, as we kick-start this next phase of our growth and development, we fervently and jointly believe in That Same God to s e e u s t h r o u g h t o t h e Promised Land. 33. A.R.I.S.E Akwa Ibom, work hard in unity and in brotherhood, and let us collectively usher in the Happy Hour. So let the Happy Hour of the Golden Era begin. 34. God bless Akwa Ibom State, God bless our dear people, God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

- The National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) - Other Party Officials, Senior Citizens and Guests from Across the Country, - The Former, Serving and Senators- Elect, - The Former, Serving and Members House of Representatives- Elect - Your Excellency, the Outgoing Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, - Your Excellency, the New Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, - The Rt. Honourable Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, - My Lords, the Chief Judge and Grand Khadi, - Honourable Members (Former, Serving and Elect) Bauchi State House of Assembly, - Traditional Leaders, - Former Members of the 17 FOR A SECOND TERM H.E. SEN. BALA ABDULKADIR MOHAMMED, CON, AS EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF BAUCHI STATE INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY

18 Bauchi State Executive Council, - Secretary to the State Government, - Chief of Staff, Government House, - The Head of Civil Service, - Chief Executives of Parastatals and Heads of Extra–Ministerial Departments, - Invited Guests, - Members of the Press Corps, - Ladies and Gentlemen. To Allah, the Most Beneficent, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, without whom none of us would be here today. He makes all things possible in his own time. He gives power to whom He chooses and takes it away when he chooses. 2.With humility and in total submission to the will of Allah, I accept this call to serve, not because I see myself as the most qualified but because it is a divine mandate over which I have no choice. 3.​I wish to recall with extreme joy and gratitude that, on this day four years ago, I stood at this podium to take the oath of office and oath of allegiance as your Governor and to deliver my first inaugural address to a mammoth crowd like this one. I find it indeed humbling that forty-eight months, that is, two hundred and eight weeks or one thousand four hundred and sixty days later, here I am again to deliver my second and, by the provisions of our constitution, final inaugural address on the auspicious occasion of my swearing in as Governor of our great State for another four years. SYMBOLISM 4.​Looking into the faces of the exuberant crowd of our patriots here present, I recognise the overwhelming significance of this moment. I appreciate the trust that h a s b e e n r e p o s e d i n o u r administration by the majority of our people who voted for me. I am conscious that my re-election signifies the endorsement of the manifesto of our great party and the “My Bauchi Project” agenda on which platforms I ran for election in 2019. I am honoured that today's inaugur a tion r epr e s ents a validation of the performance of our Administration during the first term. 5.​But it goes beyond that. I see it as a summons to do more. Not as Go v e r n o r o f t h e Pe o p l e s Democratic Party (PDP) under whose platform I ran or any partisan or sectarian interest but for everyone residing in Bauchi State: indigene and non-indigene, citizen and foreigner, rich and poor, no matter one's station in life. GRATITUDE 6.​Yet, while acknowledging the neutrality demanded of me in my position, it is only proper that I acknowledge with gratitude first, my political party that gave me the platform to run. Secondly, also deserving of my gratitude are members of my team: the SSG, my chief of staff, commissioners, special advisers and special assistants who brought their expertise and competences and stood by me, all through both exciting and challenging moments, to produce the performance that culminated in my re-election. I would like to say that, for me, the dissolution of the state executive council will not put a stop to the virile relationship that we cherish. On that note, should circumstances dictate the return of any of you, it is my sincere wish that you will avail the State the benefit of your patriotic service. Not the least, I want to thank our royal fathers, my Lords spiritual and t emp o r a l, c i v il s o c i e t y organisations, my colleaguemembers of the fourth estate and all our compatriots without whose continuing prayers and support this day would not have been possible. THE BEGINNING 7.As the sages have aptly r e m a r k e d , u n l e ss y o u understand the take-off point of your journey, the chances are that you may never get to your destination. So, to fully appreciate the journey you and I are about to start, let me take you back a little. In the course of the visioning process that p r o d u c e d o u r str a t e g i c document and action plan in 2019, our environmental scan revealed both the remarkable opportunities, as well as the profound headwinds that we must astutely and courageously navigate to either steer the ship of state to a stable trajectory or drift in disarray into political oblivion and irrelevance. We chose the former. 8.​Those headwinds included: Insufficient cash flow, a huge loan portfolio; accumulated outstanding liabilities, dearth of critical infrastructure, collapse of educational institutions, ineffective healthcare delivery s e r v i c e s, h i g h r a t e o f unemployment and drug addiction and gangsterism. Equipped with this knowledge, our 2019-2023 Programme of Action and the Medium-Term Plan had sought to tackle wide-

19 ranging challenges characterised by low and fragile economic growth, ins e curity, we ak institutions, inadequate public s e r v i c e d e l i v e r y, g r o ss infrastructural deficit, climate change and the attendant weak social indicators. 9.​Undeterred by the headwinds and other challenges, we set out with the twin objective of improving the living standards of the people and placing the state among the first ten most economically viable and socially developed states in the country. 10.​Today, I can look back to the journey of the past four years with a mixture of pride (not arrogance) a n d s o b r i e t y ( n o t disappointment). For instance, while substantial mileage has been achieved in infrastructure, social services, economic development and poverty alleviation, the anticipated investments into the economy slowed down from 2019 onwards because of the negative impact of c e rt a i n m a c r o - e c o n o m i c v a r i a b l e s w h i c h w e r e characterized by external shocks principal among which were the COVID-19 pandemic, collapse of global crude oil prices and worldwide social conflicts, of which Nigeria was not spared. Let me expatiate. THE MACRO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTIN 2019 HUGE DEBTPORTFOLIO 11.​The Administration inherited a very huge debt portfolio in excess of over N100b (one hundred b i l l i o n n a ir a ) m a d e u p preponderantly of the Paris Club, Budget Support and the Bail Out Fund, and some foreign loans. Repayment of these loans is mandatory and deductible from source. So far, we have repaid over 50 percent of the debt, a situation that has exposed the state to serious economic constraints, especially in view of the dwindling resources both nationally and internationally. Thus, right from inception, the Administration was compelled to devise creative strategies for meeting the huge expectations of the people. CRIPPLING WAGE BILL 12.​Without a strong private sector capable of complementing the role of Government as the major employer of labour, Bauchi State has always carried a huge wage bill. In fact, more than 80% of the allocation to the state from the Federation Account goes into the payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities. Unfortunately, before the advent of this Administration, the issue of salaries, pensions and gratuities had been mired in c o r r u p t i o n a n d l a c k o f accountability. To compound matters, on assumption of office, we met a scenario where months would pass without the payment of salaries. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC 13.​As we are all aware, less than a year after we assumed office, there was an outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic which had very serious adverse effects, socially and economically, on the state, the nation and the world at large. It was a game stopper. No aspect of life was spared: economic, social and administrative aspects of life shut down as people were compelled to stay at home. For a new administration that was confronted with the humungous governance deficits it inherited, the epidemic was a significant drawback. And as if Bauchi State was specially targeted, I became one of the first governors in Nigeria to be infected by the virus. 14. The paucity of funds inherited by the Administration was further compounded by a porous and inefficient internally generated revenue (IGR) collection system that prevailed at the time. Ironically, these deficits in governance contributed to the high expectations the people h a d b y e l e c t i n g t h i s government, in the legitimate hope that it would turn things around. 15.​Other key challenges faced were lack of needed equipment a n d m a c h i n e r y , p o o r maintenance and management of existing infrastructure and facilities, inadequate and untrained/inexperienced staff to drive policies and programmes of government. READYTO WORK E C O N O M I C A N D FINANCIALREFORMS 16.​For some of you who may be wondering how we were able to accomplish the modest progress that we have made in the macroeconomic environment, and which earned us the trust and confidence of the people of Bauchi State, the first was the initiative we took to reform the economic and financial sector. Highlights of this reform were: a). Reducing the debt burden of the st a t e by const antly honouring the obligations that

20 we inherited. b). Resisting the temptation to embark on a borrowing spree except for completion of inherited projects and providing strategic new infrastructural projects across the state. c). Embarking on a payroll reform that has substantially tackled the problem of ghost workers. The outcome of the payroll reform is the consistent payment of salaries and pensions before the end of every month since the inception of this Administration. I am proud to say that we are not owing the workers and retirees any month's salaries and pensions. d ). Imp r o v eme n t i n t h e remuneration and working conditions of the civil service by being one of the few states to implement the minimum wage for all categories of staff with consequential adjustment and payment of arrears. We approved the promotion of deserving state and LG staff and also paid their consequential arrears that emanated thereof. e). Renovation of the state s e c r e t a ri a t and the loc a l government secretariats across the 20 local governments of the state to improve the physical working environment of the workers. f). Renovation of the palaces of traditional rulers across the 20 local governments in the state. g). Renovation and upgrading of the state's liaison offices in Abuja and Kaduna, as well as the compl e t e r enova tion and rebuilding of Bauchi State Government House. h). Domesticating the Federal Government's procurement policy has also sanitised our processes, infused greater transparency and compelled compliance with due process and a c c o u n t a b i l i t y, t h e r e b y enshrining our key policy thrust of “USING LITTLE RESOURCES TO DO MUCH, in accordance with the globally acceptable best practices. i). Initiation of public budget hearings in each of the senatorial districts to enhance inclusive g o v e r n a n c e a n d c i t i z e n s' engagement. j). Introduction of the cashless policy in 2019/2020 and k). Creation of the treasury online portal for the publication of monthly, quarterly, and yearly reports aimed at boosting public confidence through transparency and accountability. 17.​These efforts at improving the macro-economic and governance environment have had the salutary effect of restoring confidence in the system thereby facilitating the prosecution of the agenda of the Administration. POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE REFORMS 18.​My civil service and legislative b a c k g r o u n d s h a d a l w a y s impressed on me the importance of operating within the ambits of the law. Thus, working with the State House of Assembly, we were able to institutionalise some important milestones in policy and legislative reforms. In all, 48 executive bills scaled through the State House of Assembly. That translates to the passage of one executive bill every month, a very significant development considering that the executive arm that I head, and the State House of Assembly were controlled by different political parties. The executive bills passed include: ● A bill to establish the Bauchi State Public Procurement Bureau, 2020. ● Abill for a Law to Harmonise, Integrate and Consolidate all r evenue s coll e c tibl e by Ministries, Departments, A g e n c i e s a n d L o c a l Governments in Bauchi State, ● A bill for a Law for the Establishment of the Bauchi State Vigilante and Youth Empowerment Agency. ● A bill for a Law to establish Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy, Alkaleri. ● A bill to establish the Bauchi State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission and for connected purposes. ● A bill for a law to establish Bauchi State and Local Government Contributory Pension Scheme and other related matters. ● A bill for a law to establish Bauchi State Infrastructure Development and Maintenance Agency. ● A bill for a law to amend the Bauchi State Urban Planning Development Board and ● A bill for a Law to Establish Bauchi State Signage and Advertisement Management Agency (BASSAMA) ● A bill for a law to establish Bauchi State Audit Service Commission and for matters related therewith, 2021. ● A Bill for a Law to Establish the Bauchi State Rural Access Road Authority. ● A Bill for a Law to amend BAROTA Law, 2020 and Repeal the Road Traffic Law (CAP 137), Bauchi State Road Traffic (Control of Traffic) Law (CAP 138) and Bauchi State Road Traffic Mobile Court Law (CAP139). 1 9 . S u c h a b i p a r t is a n br e akthrough wa s made possible by the pragmatic

21 posture of the stakeholders who prioritised the overall interest of the state over and above any other considerations. I want to thank the assembly most sincerely for the statesmanship displayed by the leadership and members and look forward to a deepening of the already established cordial working relationship. I say so in expectation that implementing our robust vision will entail such disruption of the routine and therefore requiring legislative backing. I pledge the support and cooperation of the executive branch in this partnership for the development of our state. SETTLING OF ARREARS OF GRATUITIES 20.​In spite of the bold steps taken in the areas of financial reforms and the governance environment, I am pained to note that, trying as much as we could within our first term, the challenge of gratuity payment has defied our best intentions and efforts. It is for this reason that despite settling over N4 billion without accumulating new ones, we still have about N23 billion outstanding, inherited from previous administrations in the state. 21.​The enactment of the State Contributory Pension Scheme by this Administration was in furtherance of its genuine desire to ensure that the intractable problem of payment of gratuities d o e s n o t o u t l i v e t h i s Administration. By the grace of God, we shall prevail. M A S S I V E I N F R A S T R U C T U R A L DEVELOPMENT. 22.​Notwithstanding the financial constraints we encountered, we constructed over 1,000 kilometres of urban and rural roads, connecting major commercial areas with markets and providing access to basic social services. Our urban renewal efforts not only eased transportation bottlenecks but also drastically reduced the heavy incidence of accidents that had hitherto overwhelmed the m e d i c a l f a c i l i t i e s w i t h mindboggling orthopaedic cases. 23.​Our aggressive infrastructure remediation interventions have also recorded big wins in the provision of water supply which has been a major problem in both the urban and rural areas of the state. I am happy to report the following huge gains in this area. (i) Completion of the rehabilitation of the Upgraded Bauchi Urban Water Supply Scheme under the Third National Urban Water Sector Reform Project (NUWSRP) which commenced in 2015 with Bauchi State as one of the selected beneficiary states. The Project, which was in limbo before we took over, was meant to resolve the water supply challenge of Bauchi metropolis from now to the year 2027 and beyond. At its full capacity utilisation, it will provide the water demand of over one million inhabitants of Bauchi metropolis. Determined to solve the water challenge of Bauchi metropolis and fired by a political will that defied all odds, including the COVID-19 shut down, the Administration paid its counterpart funding, a situation that earned us the full support of the World Bank towards completing the project. (ii) Construction of a dedicated power line from Azare to the waterworks that serves both Azare and Jama'are towns. The project, which is ongoing and to be completed soon, will ensure quality power supply from the national grid, which in turn will enhance the supply of water. (iii) Completion of the rehabilitation and expansion of the Alkaleri Water Supply Scheme and (iv) Compl e tion of the rehabilitation and expansion of the Bogoro Water Supply Scheme. (v) Rehabilitation of earth dams and irrigation schemes to support agricultural and potable water needs of the area and (vi) Other water supply projects include the provision of over 10,000 motorised, solar and hand-powered boreholes in many communities of the state, as per the implementation of the Rural Water Supply and S a n i t a t i o n A g e n c y (RUWASSA) Programme. 24. Any account of our infrastructure success will be incomplete without mentioning the construction of 1, 800 units of two and three-bedroom houses across the major urban areas of the state, which include Bauchi, Azare, Misau, Jama'are, Ningi and Dass. These are designed to bridge the huge housing gap confronting our civil servants and other lowincome earners, and which had deprived them of the required dividends of democracy and improvements in quality of life. 25. ​I am also delighted to note that significant progress has been made in the construction of o u r n ew Mu lti- p u r p o s e Government House Complex. Perhaps I should re-emphasise the point that when completed, not only will the complex house the official residence and offices of the Governor and some other

22 Government House personnel, but it will also deepen the Government's urban renewal vision. I am happy to note that these investments in infrastructure and services have created a huge multiplier effect across the state by providing the required micro economic impetus for sustainable development, especially its positive effect on our GDP and socio-economic stability. By initiating these interventions, the Government continues to stimulate economic growth through jobs creation, poverty reduction, increase in commercial activities as well as support for SMEs in the formal and informal sector. 26.​We were able to achieve this because we made equity, justice, inclusion and service delivery the cornerstones of our public policy. Those developmental footprints were possible because of the policy framework that made the local governments the pivot of government's intervention activities and that accorded tr a d iti o n a l a n d r e li g i o u s institutions their dues. 27.​The construction of palaces, building of Police posts, procurement of equipment for the security agencies, establishment of a vibrant vigilantes (hunters, law enforcement agencies and community volunteers) and similar expenditure formed critical components of our security strategy aimed at deepening governance and community engagement and ensuring that Bauchi State has remained the most peaceful state in the North East zone. 28.Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, with all humility, to the glory of God, it was in recognition of these developments in infrastructure and services, that the Federal Government conferred on us, the Presidential Award of the Best State in the Federation in R u r a l I n f r a s t r u c t u r a l Development. IGR BOOST 29.​Through innovative financial management, from a paltry three hundred million naira per month, our administration has raised the monthly IGR to one billion naira and above monthly. Besides, by domesticating the national procurement policy and the adoption of global best practices in procurement, the Administration laid the foundation for a t r a n s p a r e n t e c o n o m i c environment. In recognition of our prudent financial management, only last week, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) bestowed an award on the st a t e f o r g o o d fi n a n c i a l management and transparency. 30.Another significant policy thrust of our administration is the freeing of resources and plugging of leakages to facilitate our ambitious development agenda of building a new Bauchi State. Though the government is yet to hit its IGR target, it is important to state that the various tax codes and policies we inherited have been improved and modernised, using modern techniques, strategies and technologies, leading to improved internally generated revenue. The combination of the innovative strategies employed by the BIRS and more importantly because, unlike be for e , t ax paye rs (individual and corporate) can now see a connection between what they pay, and the dividends of democracy are responsible for the improved IGR situation of the state. YOUTH EMPOWERMENT 31.We have recorded some encouraging successes in a d d r e s s i n g y o u t h empowerment. During the period under review, thousands of youth were exposed to skills acquisition in trades such as c a rpentry and furnitur e m a n u f a c t u r i n g , S M E , agriculture, tailoring and clothes weaving, hairdressing, fisheries, animal husbandry, and many other skills. Similarly, the Administration procured and distributed 1000 tricycles and 350 mini buses, on an interestfree basis, for intra-city and intercity transportation. This has impacted positively on the lives of their owners with substantial trickle-down effect on the transportation value c h a i n w h e r e y o u h a v e mechanics, auto-electricians, vulcanizers and spare parts dealers. 32.​It is instructive to note that over 80 percent of the beneficiaries of the transport empowerment have repaid the loan. It has now become a revolving fund and we are encouraged to continue. 33.As would be expected, engaging our teeming youth population productively has had the concomitant benefit of taking some of them off crime and criminality. With the p r o b l em o f r u r a l- u r b a n migration at the back of our mind, we created the Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme (KEEP), through

23 which government was able to touch the lives of thousands of youths and women in all the twenty local government areas of the state. A G R I C U L T U R A L DEVELOPMENT 34. ​In recognition of the place of agriculture as the main employer of the majority of our people, upon assumption of office, we q u i c k l y a r t i c u l a t e d a comprehensive agricultural development plan with the value proposition of using our land asset to unlock the state's industrial potentials. Progress has been encouraging. Actions taken so far include: ---Training of 2000 youths in modern farming techniques ---Ensuring that farmers timely access fertilizer at affordable prices ---Blending our own fertilizer to guarantee efficiency, affordability and employment. ---All o c a ti o n o f l a n d t o commercial farmers including civil servants, to key into the value chain. ---Creation of a buffer stock to a v o i d wa st e a n d s e c u r e competitive prices for farmers and other agric stakeholders. 35.​We are encouraged by the interest shown by manufacturing companies across the world who are eager to benefit from our value proposition in the agric sector. A concrete demonstration of this is the establishment of the N5 billion Tiamin Rice Project with a value chain that includes large scale rice cultivation and with a capacity to process about five tonnes of rice annually. The project, which has already taken off, promises to create over 10, 000 direct and indirect jobs when fully operational. R E V I V I N G T H E EDUCATIONALSECTOR 36.​With electioneering campaigns over, I believe that we can all be on the same page to acknowledge that, after four years, we have recorded remarkable improvement in the education sector. Education infrastructure, training of teachers, prompt payment of education counterpart funding and accessing f u n d i n g a n d p a yme n t o f examination fees for students have not only been placed on the front burner of administrative action, but also attracted tremendous support from donors, the Fede r a l G o v e r n m e n t a n d o t h e r development partners. No wonder Bauchi State has consistently recorded improved performance in West African Examination Council ( WA E C ) a n d N a t i o n a l Examinations Council (NECO) between 2019 and 2022. 37.​It is gratifying to note that our reform measures in education is hitting the right target. As WAEC records show, Bauchi State recorded a remarkable increase in percentage of candidates with five credits and above from 37.4 percent in 2019, when we took the mantle of leadership, to 65.5 percent and 68 percent in 2020 and 2021 respectively. 38.​It would have been surprising if the outcome had been different, taking into consideration the planning, intellectual input and resources invested into rescuing education from the doldrums where it was by 2019. First was the r edemption of the st a t e 's counterpart funding to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), which made it possible for the Government to access over N9 billion locked up in the agency for three years prior to our assumption of office. With the funds in our kitty, we were able to follow up with massive injection of funds for the provision of over 5, 000 new c l a ssrooms, s chool furniture for both teachers and p u p ils, c o n str u c ti o n o f boreholes and toilets in the schools and settlement of the outstanding examination fees owed to the WAEC and NECO. We have equally defrayed backlog of scholarship to the students and reviewed the amount upward in recognition of rising inflation, so as to encourage the students in their pursuit of higher education. 39.​Another major breakthrough wa s r e c o r d e d wit h t h e introduction of biometrics in the school management system, which drastically reduced absenteeism and lateness among pupils and teachers a like , the r eby r e storing discipline to the school system. 4 0 . As a r e s u l t o f o u r commitment to tackling the scourge of out-of-school children, we are able to qualify and access the technical and financial support of the World Bank through the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA), which has assisted us in reducing the number of the out- of-school children from 1.7M in 2018 to the current 1.4M. With the help of the community leaders and traditional leaders, we will continue to work towards improving enrolment, retention and completion in our schools. It cannot be overemphasised

24 Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services Project (IMPACT).” The State has already paid the counterpart funding, which will assist us further in continuing to enhance the services provided by our health care facilities. *Partnering with the Federal Government to ensure that Bauchi State leveraged every healthcare entitlement for the benefit of the people. In recognition of our modest efforts in the health sector, we were recently honoured by the UNICEF as the second best in improving primary health facilities and services in the North East, which attracted the grant of $400,000. DEBILITATING ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 42.​My dear compatriots, achieving the modest successes noted above has happened despite serious debilitating factors, top on the list being the acute shortage of funds. To close the financing gap for our ambitious infrastructure projects, the state has been compelled to take short term commercial loans whose tenor and cost are not recommended under normal circumstances. Sadly, these are not normal times. Inflation at 22.5%, plummeting naira value, high cost of PMS due to inadequate supply and frequent power outages have taken a huge toll on government finances. The consolation is that our government has an impressive debt servicing record that not only guarantees creditworthiness but that, by the grace of God, we will maintain a reasonably good debt sustainability ratio. THE WAYFORWARD 43.​As the sages say, experience is the best teacher. We have gathered so much on the road that we can claim, with all modesty, that we have enough to draw from to launch the next phase of our developmental agenda. However, conscious that no one has a monopoly of wisdom, just as we did prior to taking office in 2019, the strategy of our government for going forward is being distilled from both our experience and the report of two expert c o m m i t t e e s t h a t I commissioned recently. 44.​Our primary focus remains peace and security and the welfare of our people and everybody living in Bauchi State. In sectoral terms, we shall not only prioritise education and agriculture as critical areas with inestimable value chains that will impact on all our plans, but I a lso he r eby de c l a r e an emergency in these two sectors. They will rank only with staff salaries and security as first line charges critical to the survival and future progress of the state. E D U C A T I O N EMERGENCY 45.​The state of emergency in education is geared towards achieving the following outcomes: ---To decisively establish modalities for depoliticising, redressing and facilitating the state's exit from the out-ofschool syndrome that has gripped the country, particularly the state, for a long time. ---To redesign and infuse into the school curricula, new strategies to benchmark positive mindset changes that would inculcate in our children, that this is a collective effort that requires all hands-on deck as we strive to lay a solid foundation for the future. HEALTH 41.​Guided by the dictum that health is wealth and prompted by the deplorable state of the healthcare delivery system it inherited, our Administration hit the ground running from Day One by declaring an emergency in the health sector. To address the situation, the Government prioritised the following areas: * Rehabilitating existing healthcare infrastructure *Rehabilitating and re-equipping t h e h e a l t h i n st i t u t i o n s, particularly one general hospital in each district headquarters across the 20 LGAs of the state. *Siting of one functional PHC in each of the 323 wards in the state. * R e h a b i l i t a t i n g h e a l t h institutions to produce critically needed medical personnel and for capacity building. *Restoring the confidence of development partners, some of whom had developed cold feet in dealing with the state due to institutional lethargy, and lack of payment of counterpart funding. *To plug the gap in human capital in the health sector, we employed 100 Doctors, 1,200 Nurses, as well as resumption of the preservice scheme, where students studying medical courses are included in the state payroll. * At the end of World Bank supported Nigeria State Health Investment Project (NSHIP), which assisted us in rebuilding our Primary Health Care Centres, we have now qualified for another World Bank Supported Project called “Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by

25 46. My dear compatriots, history shows that no nation or people has been able to transform their societies without vigorous practical educational reforms. The long-term benefits are usually enormous. But it also calls for short term sacrifices and pains by all stakeholder groups. I look forward t o r o b u stl y e n g a g i n g t h e development partners and other stakeholders in this journey to transform Bauchi's educational system into a world class engine of growth and development and the happiness of our people. 47.​In furtherance of this, we shall c r e a t e t h e E D U C AT I O N EMERGENCY ENGINE ROOM (3E 4 Education) that would constitute the situation-room for driving the revolution in our education sector. Membership of the engine-room will be drawn from various sectors, to confer multidisciplinary expertise on the body. AGRICULTURE: OUR LAND, OUR DESTINY 48.​To be sure, modest successes were recorded in the agric sector in t h e f i r s t t e r m o f t h i s Admi n istr a ti o n . Howe v e r, preoccupation with its huge infrastructure goals entailed that the Government was limited in its ability to allocate enough resources to other critical areas or goals. One of such goals was the dream of unlocking the state's vast agric value chain and harnessing its land resources for the envisioned r e v e n u e a n d i n d u s t r i a l transformation. The Bauchi agric value chain is vast and promising: large expanse of arable land, diverse economic crops and trees as well as opportunities for animal husbandry and food processing. Add to this, the fact that Bauchi has also achieved certification as a food export processing zone. In view of these positive factors, I make bold to say that this time around, unbundling Bauchi as a catalyst for agro-business, employment creation, revenue generation and food security is not just urgent but a survival imperative that makes it mandatory for the Government and all stakeholders to kick-start action without delay. I dare say that being another critical area, the Government has decided to declare a three-year state of emergency under the name Our Land, Our Destiny (OLOD), in agriculture starting from the next farming season. Just as in education, we shall create the “Our Land, Our Destiny Committee that would establish the template for revolutionising the agric value chain within three years. We are also going to leverage on the World Bank Supported Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) to increase the implementation of s u st a i n a b l e l a n d s c a p e management practices in targeted watershed in Bauchi State and strengthen Bauchi's l o n g - t e r m e n a b l i n g environment for integrated climate-resilient landscape management. Bauchi is the first State in Nigeria to launch the project and we have already paid our counterpart funding and established a functional project implementation unit (PIU). 49.​To this end, we shall embark on allocation of land to young farmers across the three sentiments of patriotism, courage a n d a ' B a u c h i F i r s t ' consciousness. ---To establish a sustainable template for the rapid production of people with marketable digital skills that will not only equip them for self-employment but to consciously prepare them for the growing global digital market. ---To produce highly skilled hands for the oil and gas industry, as well as the other spin offs of our imminent investment revolution. ---To transform Bauchi State into a veritable destination for education tourism, given the existing number of tertiary institutions in the state. ---To devise a capacity building programme for stakeholders in the educational value chain, pa rti cul a rly t e a che rs and administrators, with a view to achieving the above stated objectives. ---To articulate the funding implications of this grand programme by leveraging on the World Bank AGILE project to renovate all our secondary schools to make them conducive for learning and sustainable educational development that will create excellent transition from Secondary to Tertiary level. ---To identify other development partners for the purpose of ensuring global best practices and c o n f e rri n g i n t e r n a t i o n a l recognition on the educational programmes of the state. --- To create a competitive scholarship scheme in specialised areas to deserving candidates to study locally and internationally, with a view to creating the necessary human capital for development. ---To establish clear and achievable timelines for each of the activities listed above.

26 senatorial zones of the state, establish extension services to interact with and provide technical support to farmers and intensify the construction of buffer stock facilities in various parts of the state and encourage the formation of co-operatives to give farmers better bargaining power . SECURITY 50.​To the glory of Allah (SWT), Bauchi has been relatively safe and secure, even in the face of what can be called the Nigerian security pandemic. Though we will not gloat over it because we want everywhere in Nigeria to be safe, it is imperative to point out that achieving the reputation of the safest state in the North-East did not come by accident. It is the product of seamless and rigorous collaboration between the Bauchi State Government (including the state vigilante) and our patriotic and selfless security agencies. Despite some man-induced security breaches, we are satisfied that insecurity is not as pervasive as it is in some states. 51.Going forward, we have decided to put into action, the already established Bauchi State Vigilante & Youth Empowerment Agency that is modelled after Amotekun in the South West. This security agency will stabilise the substantially effective security infrastructure already existing at the local government level. It is expected that about 20,000 youth will be recruited under the first phase of the programme. It is important to state that the vigilante has been very effective in checkmating the activities of those who infiltrate our rural areas with the sole intent of displacing the indigenes. 52.​To such people, let the word go forth from here that while we will always welcome visitors on genuine legitimate missions, we will never allow our land to be taken over by bandits coming from some other states. To put it starkly, what we have achieved we will maintain at all costs. 53.​Therefore, I want to assure our traditional rulers, religious and community leaders that they will continue to play their God-given roles as our 'first line of defense' as we strive to checkmate the marauders, including those involved in illegal logging, sale of charcoal and destruction our traditional forests. These heinous activities must stop. To this end, I enjoin our highly revered traditional rulers to take this as a sacred duty because to whom much has been given much is expected. With all due respect, we can no longer tolerate the nefarious activities of these people. Therefore, going forward, traditional rulers will be held responsible for such mindless plundering of the state's resources under their watch. Still on security, and in recognition of Bauchi's vast land boundaries with seven states, we also intend to promote the establishment of the highly successful 'inter-state' security model that I initiated when I was Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). That coll abor a tive a rr angement involved the FCT and all the states bordering the capital city namely: Nasarawa, Kaduna, Niger and Kogi States. In the context of Bauchi, such an arrangement will include Kano and Jigawa to the North, Taraba and Plateau to the South, Gombe and Yobe to the East and Kaduna to the West. That is why the state is pursuing partnership with the Chinese in deploying modern technology for surveillance and tracking to boost our security architecture. The Chinese Ambassador and his officials have visited Bauchi to expr e ss the ir strong commitment in collaborating with the State to achieve this objective. TRADE, COMMERCE AND INVESTMENT 54.​To appreciate the importance of trade, commerce and investment, one only needs to understudy Dubai. Through creative leadership and out of the box thinking, the leaders have turned the Emirate into such a strategic financial and commercial hub, a real estate spectacle and a tourism wonder that hardly would a day pass without a notable global organisation or some celebrity touching base with the Emirate. That is the power of focus and vision. And we intend to tap into that vision as Bauchi has several factors now going for it as an investment destination. i. Our impressive ranking 4th (2021) and 6th (2022) on the ease of doing business index makes Bauchi a veritable investment destination. ii. Our massive infrastructure initiatives and projects that earned the state the FG award as first in rural infrastructure development. iii. Government's people empowerment and skills acquisition programmes that have not only raised their purchasing power, but equipped them for work. iv. Natural endowment with the

27 raw materials for the extractive industry: Vast arable land and huge agriculture value chain, oil and gas, solid minerals and incomparable tourism potentials. v. Easy access to the State capital through the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport which is only 35 minutes flight time from the Federal Capital Territory , Abuja. Government is presently talking with some airlines towards establishing regular flights in and out of the state capital on a daily basis. vi. Reputation as the safest state in the North East, if not the entire northern Nigeria, guarantees safety of lives and investments. vii. Huge market: Strategic location as a hub surrounded by seven states and with a population of over ten million, investors can tap into the huge market existing in the state and its surroundings. viii. The International Conference Centre component of the ongoing new Bauchi Government House Complex is designed to provide t h e No rt h Ea st h u b f o r conferences and convention by governments, corporate bodies and other interests. Our vision is to position Bauchi as the Convention Capital of the North East. ix. Planned replication of the Azare Modern Market model in the major cities of the state, as well as creation of farmers markets and supermarkets in strategic places in our towns. x. To leverage on our oil and gas sector to create economic and investment opportunities across the huge value chain with a view to achieving our goal of industrialisation, revive our moribund industries and creating new ones in partnership with the private sector. FEDERAL ROADS AND BAUCHI DEVELOPMENT 55.​Though we have received wide c o m m e n d a t i o n f o r o u r achievements in infrastructure particularly roads, the deplorable state of Federal Roads leading into and out of Bauchi constitutes a big threat to the vision of positioning Bauchi State as the business hub of the North East. The worst hits are the Bauchi-Gombe, BauchiBabaldu, Babaldu-Kari, and Bauchi-Jos-Akwanga roads. That there is no reliable land corridor to Abuja, the seat of the Federal Government, is frustrating. It was in response to that frustration that we undertook the reconstruction and dualisation of the Airport to Bauchi metropolis Road to guarantee the safety of indigenes and visitors alike and to reduce the sufferings of our people who are the ultimate users of the road. It is for this reason that we will continue to collaborate with the new administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and my colleagues, the Governors of neighbouring states, to ensure good roads in and out of Bauchi. We will also lobby to get reimbursement for the federal roads that we have built so that we can reinvest the funds in other priority areas. P U B L I C P R I V A T E P A R T N E R S H I P & PRIVATISATION 56.In line with global best practices, we plan to adopt the PPP model to attract both local and foreign investors, which has worked very well in many places, if we are to optimise the potentials of the huge value chain we plan to unbundle in the extractive sectors of the economy, commerce and industries, tourism and hospitality, health and education. Let me use this opportunity to clarify that the government has not sold any public asset. However, given the abysmal failure of government to revive its moribund industries over the years, commonsense dictates that we adopt creative ways of reviving them through PPP, c o m m e r c i a l is a t i o n a n d privatisation. Implementation of this plan will follow industry best practices that guard against handing government assets to incompetent briefcase carrying speculators; only reputable and capable investors, not brief case clutching opportunists will be considered. W O R K E R S / C I V I L SERVANTS 57.​It is very important to point out that our human capital remains the bedrock of the Administration's effort at creating a new narrative in governance. It also goes without saying that consolidating on our ambitious developmental agenda will demand of them higher levels of initiatives, commitment and personal sacrifice. What this means is that in addition to sustaining the regular payment of salaries, pensions and wages as at when due, Government will expose a critical mass of civil servants to t a rg e t e d h uma n c a p it a l development programmes in line with global best practices. More fundamentally, though we have done some strategic hiring to fill yawning vacancies in some strategic sectors recently, the Government recognises the huge burden placed on the existing work force. In order to

28 ensure that the MDAs are appropriately and adequately staffed, and that employment opportunities are opened for qualified youth of the state and ultimately recalibrating the civil service for efficient service delivery and sustainable growth, I am delighted to announce that the embargo on employment is hereby lifted. SALARIES, PENSIONS AND GRATUITIES 58.It is with deep sense of satisfaction that I want to categorically say that since the inception of this administration, we have been paying monthly salaries and pensions without default. 59.​I want to reiterate my earlier assurance that as a civil servant, I will spare no effort to ensure that our labour has integrity, and the welfare of our civil servants will remain top priority at all times. On concerns over gratuities, I wish to reassure the workers that the Government will fast-track ongoing effort to create the required synergy between the PENCOM and the recently e st ablished Bauchi St a t e Contributory Pension Scheme to defray the backlog and guarantee regular payment of gratuities. I wish to reiterate my earlier assurance that it is a moral obligation on the part of the Government to guarantee the payment pensions and gratuities. To that extent, no effort, I repeat, no effort will be spared to guarantee the economic rights of senior citizens and the welfare of their families. FUNDING 60.​As I indicated earlier, the paucity of funds has compelled the Administration to go for short term commercial loans to fund its development plans particularly capital projects such as roads, w a t e r a n d o t h e r s o c i a l infrastructure. However, we are not allowing the modest successes that we have recorded to blind us to the pitfalls inherent in unguarded exposure to short term commercial loans. Therefore, we are eager to exit the practice and adopt more friendly approaches in project financing. In this regard, the Government is left with one or a combination of four options: ● To adopt aggressive and effective strategies for increasing internally generated revenue (IGR) ● To key into the Federal Government's lending plan which will enable the state to access huge funds at single digit interest rate. ● To float a state bond that guarantees access to reasonable funds with long term gestation and minimal monthly repayments. ● To explore the possibility of attracting huge support from donor and multilateral agencies and other development partners without mortgaging the future of the state. A D M I N I S T R AT I O N O F JUSTICE 61​Our Administration will strive to ensure that the Judiciary is accorded its rightful place as the third arm of Government as we work towards its autonomy, improving the working conditions and the welfare of judicial officials, and accelerating the dispensation of justice in order to drastically reduce the unacceptably long awaiting trial time. WOMEN, CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE GROUPS 62.These four years have provided for me, greater insight into the ecosystem of our hardworking women whose unquantifiable contributions to the society and their sufferings are not always adequately appreciated. This recognition places on us, the Government and people of Bauchi State, the sacred duty to adopt strategies that would eliminate obstacles to their work, welfare and happiness. Similarly, we have a moral duty to give priority to the welfare of other vulnerable groups such as people with special needs, as well as the A lma j iri c h i l d r e n w h o experience untold hardship in the society. One way of achieving this, is the effort we made to domesticate the Child R i g h ts A c t a n d o t h e r legislations that enhance the rights and wellbeing of vulnerable persons and groups. In the case of the Almajiri, in collaboration with UNICEF and other development partners that are already doing a great job in t h e a r e a o f s u p p o rti n g v u l n e r a b l e g r o u p s, o u r government would work with the traditional and religious institutions to ensure that the system is refined to conform to universal standards. DIGITIsATION 63.​Apart from satisfying extant regulatory requirements, the government's digitisation of the state-owned television and radio stations has stimulated an effective flow of information between the government and the people. On account of that, we shall continue to invest in digitisation of the state-owned television and radio stations, as

29 an inclusion and diversity management policy, founded on the principles of equity, justice and fairness, prudent management of resources, peace and security, all leading to shared prosperity for all. 67.​Finally, I consider the above d e li v e r a b l e s a s mi n imum milestones that I shall, for the next four years, commit my every energy, faculty and fibre to achieving, not because I want to be remembered by them, but because you deserve no less for entrusting in me, the son of a humble District Head from the backwaters of Duguri, with your present hopes well as the expansion of community radios across the 20 LGAs. ELITE AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT 64.​My dear compatriots, with the election over, we must now prioritise governance over politics, the collective over the personal, principle over ego, consensus over conflict and turn challenges into opportunities. No matter where we stand, we can and should never disagree on one point: the primacy of Bauchi over each and every one of us. That is the bond that holds us together. 65.At this stage, I must reemphasise that without a critical mass of the elite agreeing to set aside their differences and deliberately pull their intellectual, material and social capital together, achieving the Bauchi of our dream will remain a mirage. Therefore, with all humility, I am calling on all and sundry who mean well and who, like me, have benefitted from our dear state, to put aside our differences, place our agenda on the table and work together with the present Administration to advance the interests of the state. Together, we can succeed. BACK TO THE BEGINNING 66.​Let me reiterate the fact that Bauchi State has no reason to be poor. I want to assure you that by the grace of God, the Mandate you have renewed will be deployed to position Bauchi State WHERE it ought to be; a position that, if I may repeat, is characterised by good governance anchored on transparency and accountability, and aspirations and above all, the future of generations to come. 68.​When all is said and done, that is my only way of thanking Almighty Allah for his Beneficence, Mercy and Compassion. So, help me God. Thank you. God bless Bauchi State! God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Protocol. I accept with humility the responsibility which the good people of Delta State have bestowed upon me to serve as their Governor for the next four years. I accept it with a resolve to do MORE to ADVANCE the State to new heights in leadership and socio-economic development. BY SHERIFF OBOREVWORI INAUGURAL SPEECH AS GOVERNOR OF DELTA STATE 2. I stand before you today filled with hope and confidence about our future. As the longest-serving Speaker of the House of Assembly, I have learnt the importance of setting the priorities of government, communicating the goals and outcomes of policies and programmes, and partnering with the executive for their successful implementation. I am therefore, well positioned to deliver good governance to our people. 3. But before proceeding further, I wish to pay tribute to my predecessor, His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for his patriotism and deep sense of public service. Governor Okowa took over the mantle of leadership of this State at a very precarious time in the history of our country. In addition to the massive disruptions caused by COVID-19, the country went through two recessions at different times in the last eight years. But thanks to Governor Okowa's discipline, wisdom, prudent management of the economy, and political insight, Delta State not only survived, but it also came out stronger. Indeed, I celebrate Governor Okowa for his fiscal discipline, and groundbreaking strides in human capital development, infrastructure renewal, technical and vocational education, as well as peace building. 30

4. It would be wrong of me if I fail to also acknowledge the roles played by the founding fathers of the State, military and civilian, whose sacrifice and dedication helped to nurture the state from infancy. It goes without saying that the State flourished under the current democratic dispensation that began in 1999. In this regard, their Excellencies, Chief James Onanefe Ibori and Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan deserve special commendation for their vision and tenacity of purpose. 5. Today marks the beginning not only of a new administration, but of an era that will advance Delta State to greater heights in peoplecentred policies, human capital development, and infrastructure renewal. With what has been achieved by the immediate past a dmi n istr a ti o n , t h e n ew government is poised to ADVANCE the state through the MORE agenda, which stands for: - M e a n i n g f u l development; - Opportunities for all; - Realistic reforms; and - Enhanced peace and security. 6. Consequently, the new administration will seek to: - F o st e r s u st a i n a b l e economic growth and p ri v a t e s e c t o r j o b creation; - Boost human capital; - Bu i l d a n e n a b l i n g infrastructure; - Enhance governance and accountability systems for improved service delivery; and - S t r e n g t h e n p u b l i c financial management. 7. In furtherance of these o b j e c t i v e s, t h e e x ist i n g entrepreneurship development programmes will be sustained and expanded to encourage the creation of more small-scale businesses, thus creating jobs and, consequently, reducing crime and anti-social activities among our vibrant youth population. 8. We will also enhance the existing social investment programmes for the benefit of the poor and vulnerable groups, including widows and People Living with Disabilities, through microcredit, training, and business networking. We shall further d e v e l o p e m p o w e r m e n t p r o g r a m m e s f o r w o m e n associations, particularly in the rural areas. 9. This administration will ensure the completion of all ongoing projects – roads, bridges, schools, and other physical infrastructure. As you all know, government cannot do it alone. Hence, we shall build a conducive environment for public-private partnership investments in virtually all sectors of the economy. 10. In the agricultural sector, we shall develop the agricultural value chain, which is a major driver of sustainable economic growth. This administration will spare no effort to ensure that the development of agroindustrial parks is accelerated, given their potential to generate employment opportunities, c r e a t e w e a l t h , r e d u c e unemployment, and improve food security. 11. The recent approval of the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA), for Koko and Kwale is a welcome development because this project has the capacity to unleash the growth potentials of the State. With the Board already in place, we shall immediately take steps to make it fully operational and attract investors to the zone. 31

32 12. Delta State has been relatively peaceful in the last eight years. However, recent security breaches in the Warri area are troubling. This administration with the aide of security agencies will take decisive steps to ensure that the situation does not degenerate. 13. Furthermore, Warri the commercial nerve centre of the State, will be given special a t t e n t i o n u n d e r t h i s administration. The process has already commenced with the establishment of Warri, Uvwie, and Environs Development Agency (WUEDA). Before the ongoing Storm Water Project will be completed, government will commence efforts at giving Warri and its environs a total facelift. S i m i l a r l y , t h e o n g o i n g rehabilitation work on the Warri Township Stadium will be expedited. 14. The Civil Service will be accorded top priority to boost its efficiency and enhance its service delivery. In addition, merit will be the yardstick for elevation into top management positions to encourage the entry into and retention of the best brains in the public service. Furthermore, this administration will render all the necessary support to the judiciary to enable it carry out its functions without let or hindrance. CONCLUSION 15. Your Excellencies, my dear good people of Delta State, the issue s tha t confront this administration are not new. They are about improving the quality of life of our people, about building bridges of social cohesion, about giving our people the hope of a better tomorrow, and about accelerated development. And it demands creative thinking, proactive action, and exemplary leadership from me and all those who will have the privilege to serve as elected officials and political appointees. 16. I pledge to run an open and responsive government that meets the needs and aspirations of our people. I represent consolidation and a d v a n c e m e n t ; consolidation because I am continuing from where the previous government stopped, and advancement b e c a u s e I a m advancing Delta State to greater heights in inclusive economic growth, human capital d e v e l o p m e n t , i n f r a s t r u c t u r e renewal, and peace and security. I am committed to making life richer, better, and more fulfilling for our people. 17. To my former colleagues in t h e S i x t h a n d S e v e n t h Assemblies, I whole-heartedly thank you for your support. My appreciation also goes to the fathers of faith for your prayers and counsel. And to our revered traditional rulers, I thank you for your prayers, words of wisdom and advice. I will continue to count on your support. 18. In conclusion, I covet the prayer of all of you for the wisdom to lead, and the divine enablement to achieve the goals that we have set for this administration. The tasks we face are tough, the choices not easy. But with your support and prayers we shall get the job done. 19. God bless Delta State. 20. God bless us all.

INAUGURAL SPEECH OF PETER MBAH 1. Permit me to begin this address by expressing my immense gratitude to God. I am most grateful to the great people of Enugu State for the opportunity they have given me to serve them as their Governor. I will forever be grateful to you for this honour. 2. Let me also thank all those who contributed to the success of this governorship struggle. It began as a tiny conception, as small as the mustard seed. Today, it has acquired a life of its own. Time constrains me from naming all of you, one by one, who contributed to the maturation of this idea. However, let me be quick to put on record the invaluable contributions of the immediate past Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyichukwu Ugwuanyi, Gburugburu The Great, to what we are celebrating today. Posterity will certainly be kind to you for your deep sense of patriotism. To you all, I remain forever grateful. 3. Today is a historic day in the life of Ndi Enugu. Again, providence is placing Enugu State at the threshold of history. As offspring and heirs of a great historical heritage, we are aware of our proud and lofty past. Right on this soil, our forebears worked relentlessly for the greatness of Nigeria. 33 AS GOVERNOR OF ENUGU STATE

34 We are inheritors of centuries of pedigree of a hardworking, industrious and brave Igbo race. Our forebears toiled to produce the coal that powered Europe and grew her economy, extracting the black gold locked inside the bowels of the earth. 4. We thus cannot be repositories of this great history and yet be laden with poverty and want. It will be unacceptable for us to be heritages of those massive resources that are still buried in the bowels of our soil and yet be trapped in underdevelopment. It is a contradiction of immense proportion which we are poised to unravel. 5. We cannot afford to delink from our glorious past. The soil of Enugu boasted of a retinue of great leaders and committed followers. The legendary Dr. Michael Okpara, whose astounding leadership qualities later got celebrated, decades after, in Ivy League universities like Stanford, demonstrated the component of his leadership ability right here on the soil of Enugu. The soil of Enugu has always been a fertile g r o u n d f o r t h e g r owt h o f leadership. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Akanu Ibiam, and others who administered Igboland, right from this soil of Enugu, exhibited memorable leadership, aided by the great support offered them by our people. They administered a great people who gave their leadership abilities ample and fertile soil to flourish and flower. These are the testaments that point to the fact that greatness runs in our DNA. This is the sort of greatness that the soil of Enugu breeds. 6. For six months, I traversed the length and breadth of Enugu State visiting the 68 development centres that make up this land of history. During this time, I listened to you, saw your challenges in the midst of considerable resources and felt your pains, but I saw that you remained hopeful of a better tomorrow. 7. Two very instructive anecdotes explain the future that is here today for Ndi Enugu. One is the narrative of an imaginary youth, whom I shall call Emeka, who plies his craft right here on the soil of Enugu State. Like many young men who struggle with existential survival issues in Nigeria, life was becoming an excruciating and lost battle to Emeka. He had gone through the unease of struggling to study and here he was, with a certificate that looked worthless. So Emeka decided to join the now popular Japa movement. Life must be blooming on the other side of Europe, he thought. So he was enfolded into a ship that travels on the Mediterranean. Hope was beginning to build in him. As the ship taking him to a new life he had conjured, that hope suddenly evaporated. The ship sunk and the Mediterranean Sea swallowed Emeka and his lofty dream. 8. Conversely is the other youth whom I shall call Ikechukwu. Like Emeka, life was troubling for him too. He scarcely could make ends meet. He also struggled to go through school. Life was tough. However, he suddenly woke up to the c r e a tive geni e in him. Ikechukwu, with friends on Ogui Road, was able to develop an app and before he knew it, entered his creative genius products in a global contest. All of a sudden, he won a prize in Dubai and the World stood still for that hitherto hopeless boy previously roaming the streets of Enugu. 9. The above anecdotes spoke to the power of ideas, as against the escapist belief in the redemptive power of Japa. The two of them – Emeka and Ikechukwu – lived in this same city. The question that our administration is asking is, how many of Ikechukwus do we want to produce? How do we stem the tide of the Emekas? How d o we a d d r e ss t h e 'hopelessness' among Enugu youths? 10. Beyond anecdotes, what qualifies me to stand before you today is the conquest of the cando spirit, the type manifested by Ikechukwu. I am an Enugu boy whose creative energy saw him through all his existential life battles and brought him to where he is today. Like Ikechukwu, while growing up, I struggled against the tides of adversities that made the future look bleak. Failures and frustrations dogged my way. I worked as a shop attendant at Alaba Market in Lagos, struggling to stave off all kinds of negative manifestations of an inclement environment. Like a determined swimmer, I swam against the tides of these adversities to embark on my scholarly journey. In 2008 when we began operations at Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, I came into that industry as a backbencher. The DNA of exploits and creativity that is innate in every nwa Enugu was my driving force. It pushed me to go beyond the limits of expectations in the industry. A few days ago, I resigned as the CEO of Pinnacle. By the time I was leaving, Pinnacle Oil and Gas had conquered all odds, displacing the incumbent in the petroleum industry within a short time. We succeeded in driving the upstart of yesterday into reaching the

35 Pinnacle of the downstream oil sector. 11. The youths of Enugu State will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the tomorrow that is now here today. We want to expose our youths to the skills required to grasp the emerging future and create opportunities for the genius in them to flourish. We also want to invoke and instil in them the can-do spirit that is innate in the Igbo man. Enugu will rubbish Japa, not by legislation but by c r e a ti v e l y a d d r e ssi n g t h e challenges to the future of our youths. 12. We will equip our youths with e-commerce, fintech and cybersecurity skills, such that they will become globally interconnected, and can indeed 'Japa' all over the world by providing services online through their e-commerce skills. They will be champions of the globe without necessarily having to leave Enugu. 13. I am standing before you today pregnant with ideas on how to rescue our youths and indeed the whole of Enugu State from the threats against our existence. You can trust me. I will be operating f r o m t h e v a n t a g e o f transcendental values and not narrow interests. That is what we are driven by. I will not let you down. We believe that the only purpose of leadership is to bring the best out of every one of us. You are why all these are possible. 14. As we enter the threshold of history with this signing of a social contract with Ndi Enugu, we are immensely aware that the contract also has the spirits of our ancestors as witnesses. They hear us as we proclaim our resolve to transform the lives of our people. God's supe rvening eye s a r e a lso watching us. My prayer is that every citizen of Enugu State will remember today and be glad that we took a bold step forward for the benefit of our children unborn. 15. There is no doubting Enugu's capacity to recreate the iconic w o n d e rme n t o f e c o n omi c prosperity and phenomenal growth witnessed in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Our will is strong and unshakeable. We are also acutely aware that where there is a will, there is always a way. When their forebears conceived the models of Dubai and Singapore some few decades ago, they too began to sow their tomorrow like a tiny seed as we are doing today. At that moment, the conceivers of the dreams appeared like some theatre jesters. Today, those countries have become models of the wo n d r o u s d e p t h o f h uma n capacity. 16. Today, we too are announcing t h e c o n c e p t i o n o f s a m e humongous dream, right here on the soil of Enugu State. All the ingredients needed to actualise this dream are present in us. Today, God is bestowing upon us a leadership that keys into those yearnings and aspirations. 1 7 . Ta k e n o t i c e t h a t t h is administration will be business unusual. Tough decisions will be taken. Those decisions will however be taken in the best interest of Ndi Enugu and Enugu St a t e in gene r a l. You will constitute the driving force of every action we take as your representatives. 18. We will serve you with every fiber of our being and devote all our energy and your resources to working for you and your interests. Our driving force and governance philosophy will be always based on transcendental values. 19. We will invoke the spirit of enterprise, the creative energy of our people and the remarkable industry on the streets of Enugu State to create the difference in governance. We will pursue an e conomi c growth tha t is unrivalled in this part of the country. We will tap into the limitless resources of the private sector to provide world-class infrastructure and productive sector growth. 20. We will retool and reenergise our agriculture/agroallied sector. We will unlock our rural economy through the implementation of Special Economic Zones and Special Agro-allied Processing Zones. The commerce and industry sector will help us to kick-start this drive. We also plan to provide a N100 billion revolving fund for our SMEs in partnership with the Private Sector and other D e v e l o p m e n t F i n a n c i a l Institutions. 21. In the area of Information a n d C o m m u n i c a t i o n Technology, (ICT), we will provide a Tier 4 Hyper Scale Data Centre to attract hyperscale businesses like Amazon, Google, Netflix, Tik Tok and Microsoft. 22. Our creative industry will be lifted from its old glory and be positioned as driver of our developmental dream. We will set up a film village and, working with stakeholders in the industry, ensure that our state becomes the destination of choice for tourists, attracting not less than 3 million visitors each year. 23. The sporting sector will transmute under us from a solely recreation sector into a revenue earner. We will invest highly in it

Enugu State by turning our state into one huge construction site. We will prioritise road construction and infrastructural renewal ensuring that our roads are well paved. Where necessary we shall construct flyovers and dualise roads as a remedy to any gridlocks. 29. We shall run an inclusive g o v e r n m e n t d e si g n e d t o accommodate all citizens of Enugu State. 30. Our transportation blueprint is comprehensive and holistic. We w i l l h a v e a m u l t i - m o d a l transportation system, a monorail to connect cities in Enugu and even go a step further by partnering with o t h e r g o v e r nme n ts i n t h e Southeast in connecting us with our sister states. 31. We are committed to the strengthening of our institutions. The judiciary, legislature and public services will receive the needed propellers as lifters of our dream. We will provide the right enablement to ensure justice is dispens ed a s spe edily a s possible. In this regard, we will digitise and digitalise the judiciary, so as to make the management and procedures in our courts more efficient. 32. Our approach to tackling insecurity in Enugu State will be by adopting the kinetic and nonkinetic models and approaches. We will strengthen community p o l i c i n g a r c h i t e c t u r e ; neighbourhood watch and forest guards. In this mode, we will deploy modern technology such as CCTV cameras and others, as well as establishing a commandand-control centre in Enugu State, so as to track perpetrators of crime who we will pursue and bring to justice. 33. The most logical question that must be playing in corners of your lips as you listen to me is, 36 with an eye on returns into the Enugu economy. 24. We also have robust, crosscutting programmes in the social services sector. Education, for us, i s a k e y d r i v e r o f o u r deve lopment a l e ffort. Our intervention will boost the access to and understanding of ICT in our early child learning and schools. We will increase the focus on vocational education in our s e c o n d a r y s c h o o ls, wh il e reemphasising civic and moral values. 25. In the healthcare sector, our aim is to ensure that rural, semirural and urban Ndi Enugu have access to primary healthcare facilities, without any hindrance. We will partner with private investors in building specialist hospitals, so as to attract Nigerians who fly outside the country on health tourism. Our objective here would be to make Enugu a medical tourism destination. 26. In the area of water, Ndi Enugu are aware of our promise to ensure availability of water in our homes in the Enugu metropolis in 180 days time. We reiterate this promise here. Furthermore, we will waste no time in replicating same feat in Nsukka, Udi and Awgu axis. 27. Sanitation and hygiene are a l s o a r e a s w h e r e t h i s administration wants to pluck its low-hanging fruits. In the next 100 days, our administration will ensure that our streets are cleared of refuse. We will also ensure that existing landfill sites are relocated and further ensure that they are harnessed for wealth creation. Urban renewal is key to us as an administration. 2 8 . We w i l l p u r s u e a n infrastructural revolution in

how do we source the funds to j u m p s t a r t t h i s m a s s i v e governmental ambition? 34. We have critically studied different financing models, a number of which we will deploy. The first, as I have earlier itemised, is that we will open Enugu State up for the influx of investments and investors. Our ambition is to have our state as the corridor where the private sector migrates and plays. We will strengthen internally generated revenue, not by increasing tax rate arbitrarily but by expanding the tax net, plugging loopholes of leakages, as well as by operating a lean and agile government. 35. We will also, within our first 100 days in office, convene a Diaspora and Investors Forum where we will market all the productivity sectors in the state through showcasing our huge investment potentials. 36. Our government will also organise what is called the Diaspora Bond where we will securitise remittances from abroad. In this regard, remittances will no longer be for consumption a l o n e b u t f o r p r o d u c ti o n . Government will create a platform for securing those remittances so the investors have security for their funds. 37. The governance philosophy of our administration will be based on transparency, accountability and fund traceability. Part of this philosophy is collaboration and partnership with CSOs and the private sector. 3 8 . To d e m o n st r a t e h o w persuaded we are about doing this, as I leave here now, I will head for the office to perform my first executive task as your Governor. That task will be to sign Executive Order 001. It is called the Citizens' Charter. It demands that we manage your money, the people's money, in the people's interest. This Charter holds me and members of my team to account on your funds. The Citizens' Charter mandates us to provide detailed information on our public financial management system, report our revenue to you in detail and ensure that we adequately capture our e x p e n d i t u r e . Th e Ch a rt e r demands, in the same vein, that our expenditure is consistent with government priorities. 39. In line with the Public Financial Management (PFM) system, we will also ensure implementation of programmes and projects that deliver value for our money, factoring due process and public procurement laws into them. 40. In closing, let me invite the p e o p l e o f En u g u S t a t e t o accompany our administration on this journey into prosperity. This is not time for politics. It is not time for passion as well. It is time for the sowing of the seed for the Enugu of our dream. Each Enugu son and daughter should ask themselves the question: what sort of future do we desire for our children? In answering the question, we must begin to work together to forge that future of our dream. Posterity will not forgive us if we fail. 41. The tomorrow we professed is here. It is a signpost of what the tomorrow of our children and their children's children will be. Like Martin Luther King Jr., I have a dream of an Enugu State that is second to none for development in Nigeria and Africa. 42. Here on the soil of Enugu are hidden innumerable potentials for future greatness. They may look as tiny as the mustard seed but they carry within their pods energies 37 that can move mountains. All we need do is tap the soil and out of it will sprout the seeds for the activation of the Enugu of our dream, the driver of a greater Nigeria. 43. My charge to all of us today is that Enugu must take back what it has always represented. What carves us out for this role is an acute sense of industry, as well as the pride of our people which will enable us wax stronger as the future decades roll by. So, let us commit to our sense of enterprise, joined together in brotherhood and sisterhood, to form that filial bond that has been known to be the raw materials for building great nations, a cohesive people and society. This is what ties us. 44. Like King said, I have a dream that one day, beginning from today, every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight. Ultimately, the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. 45. It is our hope. It is the summary of our pact with Ndi Enugu. It is the faith that will propel developmental actions in every minute of our tenancy at the Lion Building. Again, to parody King, it is with this faith that we will transform the jangling discords of our state into a beautiful symphony of development. It is our creed. It is our pact. May God help us. God bless Enugu State. Tomorrow is indeed here!

38 THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, SEYI MAKINDE, AS TWO TERM GOVERNOR OF OYO STATE our years ago, I took Fan oath before God and you, the good people of Oyo State. I pledged to put aside my selfinterest to serve you to the best of my ability. Today, I stand before you to renew that pledge and reaffirm these solemn words – I will always put your interests first. A n d a s w e u s h e r i n Omituntun 2.0 on this day, I see another opportunity to reflect on our first term in office, recall our promises made and promises kept, and renew those promises you have given us anothe r opportunity to keep. We have worked hard to stimulate and accelerate e c o n o m i c a n d s o c i a l development in Oyo State. As promised, we have extracted value from once-moribund facilities and abandoned projects in Oyo State. In 2019, just a few months after we came into office, we set our sights on reviving the Pa c e s e tt e r Qua rry and Asphalt Plant, Ijaiye. We have since handed it over to Gov. Seyi Makinde

39 private investors in keeping with our mantra that the only business government should have in business is to create an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive. We rehabilitated the main bowl of the Lekan Salami S p o r t s C o m p l e x , Adamasingba. And what a proud moment it was when o u r S t a t e h o s t e d a n international match at that stadium for the first time in about thirty years. We also rehabilitated the once-moribund Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme Headquarters, Saki, the Rural Community Development Centre, Aawe, and we are on the verge of making history as we convert the Fasola Farm Settlement into a modern agribusiness industrial hub. We h a v e b u ilt a s o li d foundation for sustainable development. Under Omituntun 1.0, we prioritised infrastructural development. We completed over 137 km of road projects, taking a top-to-bottom a p p r o a c h t o r o a d r e h a b i l i t a t i o n s a n d reconstructions. We focused on interconnecting all the zones because we knew that therein lies the key to kickstarting our no zones left behind policy. We built roads such as the 76.7 km Ogbomoso-FapoteIseyin Road – a completely new road construction. No road had ever existed in that place before now. But we knew that this construction w o u l d o p e n u p t h e Ogbomoso and Oke-Ogun Zones. Already, we have big businesses springing up on that road. We are also constructing the 110 km Senator Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road. We p l a n t o c o m p l e t e t h e construction of this road with all ancillary amenities that will give our people a firstworld transport experience on that route within this tenure. Our top-to-bottom approach a lso me ans tha t unde r Omituntun 2.0, we will ensure that we complete all ongoing road projects and give priority attention to internal roads in urban areas. We laid the groundwork for ensuring that we have a mo d e r n tr a n s p o rt a ti o n system. We completed two bus terminals and have another two in view. We set up infrastructure that made it possible for our airport to fuel aero planes for the first time since the Ibadan Airport was c o n s t r u c t e d . We a r e upgrading this airport into an international airport that will serve as a viable alternative to the airport in Lagos. W e c e l e b r a t e d n e w milestones, such as when we got sole ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH). We restored lost glories in sports. We all rejoiced when our darling Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) were reinstated into the elite division of the Nigerian football league. We plan to go a step further to see our 3SC win the league and once again compete at the regional and continental levels for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League. We conquered at national and international sports festivals. We set a new record for Oyo State at the 21st National Sports Festival when for the first time in Oyo State history, we won 43 Gold Medals and placed fourth on the medals table. We turned the trend of government owing workers’ s a l a ri e s, pensions and gratuities. We paid all Oyo State workers regularly and consistently on the 25th of every month – the ‘GSM Day’ and even went a step further to pay the 13th month salary four years in a row for the first time in the history of Oyo State. We reduced the gratuities deficit of past administrations by over N16 billion and once again, put a smile on the faces of our fathers and mothers who served Oyo State in their youth. We promise to do even more under Omituntun 2.0. We will work towards ensuring that the backlog of gratuity

40 payments is cleared within this next four years. Of course, we will continue with the consistent payment of w o r k e rs’ s a l a ri e s a n d pensions monthly. We mourned the tragic losses of our loved ones personally, s u b - n a t i o n a l l y a n d nationally. But even in those trying circumstances, we saw opportunities to bond, learn from our mistakes and forge a better tomorrow as a people. We defied all odds, including a global pandemic and came out stronger, better. We accomplished all of these because you, the good people of Oyo State, supported us. We felt your support when we said, “Use your PVC, not v i o l e n c e ” . Yo u spoke in one voice and showed that it is possible to conduct elections in Oyo State without any bloodshed. We felt your support when despite the actions of a few, you r e f u s e d t o b e divided by religion, ethnicity, language or gender. We felt your support when you spoke with one voice at the polls, and we won with a margin never before seen in the Oyo State history of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic. Ye s , e v e r y t h i n g w e accomplished in the last four years was because you, the good people of Oyo State, stood by us. And so, as we face another four years with this mandate that you have given us, we again, in all humility, ask for your support. With your backing, we know our vision for Omituntun 2.0 will become a reality. We have shared our plans with you in our Oyo State Roadmap for Sustainable Development 2023 – 2027. And we look forward to four y e a rs o f s u st a i n a b l e development refocused on four pillars: the Economy, Education, Healthcare and Security. These were the same four pillars we focused on in the last four years. This is why we say Omituntun 2.0 is an upgrade. We a r e u p g r a d i n g t o Education 2.0. Under Omituntun 1.0, we returned over 50,000 children to the classrooms. Through targeted interventions, such as maintaining the no-fees in public schools’ policy, we plan to return another 50,000 to the classroom in the next four years. Another policy that will remain in place is the 15-20% budgetary allocation to education. We must urgently continue to reduce the infrastructure deficit in our

41 p u b l i c p r i m a r y a n d secondary schools. So, we shall focus on building classrooms and other needed facilities in underserved areas in the State. We a r e u p g r a d i n g t o Healthcare 2.0. Having upgraded over 200 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) as promised under Omituntun 1.0, we will now equip the s e PHCs and upgrade more PHCs and other selected secondary healthcare facilities to ensure our people have even better access to quality healthcare. We w i l l e n s u r e t h a t c o m m u n i t i e s w i t h o u t u p g r a d e d P H C s a r e prioritised in our quest to ensure that all 351 wards in O y o S t a t e h a v e a n operational Tier 4 Primary Healthcare Centre. We are upgrading to Security 2.0. Under Omituntun 1. 0, we enjoyed a 25% drop-in crime rate, making Oyo State one of the safest States to do business in the southwest zone. This was because we gave all the security agencies in Oyo State enormous support and created a 2,000- member Amotekun corps – the most incentivised corps in the zone. We used continuous communication to smoothen out relationships among all the agencies so that they all work harmoniously. In the next four years, we shall not rest on our oars. We will continue to give the security agencies in the State the support they need to more effectively and efficiently carry out their duties and responsibilities. We will further strengthen the State security architecture by training and retraining Oyo Amotekun corps members to be involved in intelligence gathering at the local level. At the Federal level, we will continue to push for reforms that will strengthen local policing and ensure that our people continue to sleep with their eyes closed. We a r e u p g r a d i n g t o Economy 2.0. Under Omituntun 1.0, we focused on stimulating economic growth through A g r i b u s i n e s s a n d Infrastructure development. Wi t h t h e a c c e l e r a t e d investments in these sectors, we moved our economy from N2.75 trillion in 2019 to N4.05 trillion as of Q3 2022 without increasing taxes. We also increased our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by over 90% in the same period. We attracted $65 million in Foreign Direct Investments a n d $ 1 2 6 m i l l i o n i n a g r i b u s i n e s s f r o m d e v e l o pme n t p a rt n e rs’ blended finance. Our vision is to further grow our economy by building on the gains in agribusiness. Additionally, we plan to bring in investments in Solid Minerals, Sustainable Energy and Tourism. We are already working towards achieving this goal. Just ten days ago, we were in London to woo investors at the Oyo State International Business Summit (OYSIBS) 2023. This sets the tone for activities we will carry out in the next four years. We will continue to be bullish about getting local and foreign direct investments into the State as we focus on youth development and c r e a t i n g e m p l o y m e n t opportunities for 60% of our population that form an energetic workforce. We know we have your support as we make tough decisions and take tough actions that will lead to imp r o v i n g o u r st a t e ’s environmental and sociopolitical outlook. So far, we have created the architecture required to bring sanity into the markets, transportation and waste management sectors. We have built markets and other closed environments for our traders to carry out the ir busine ss without o b str u c ti n g tr affic a n d causing mayhem on our streets. Of course, every street corner should not be converted into a marketplace. We have built parks and other

42 tr ansport a tion hubs so transporters do not park on the roads. We are increasing the capacity of our waste managers so that our people stop seeing the medians and str e e t corne rs a s l ega l dumpsites. We h a v e emb a r k e d o n continuous sensitisation of the people, encouraging them to adopt a lifestyle change t h a t w i l l m a k e t h e environment more suitable for living and business. H a v i n g c r e a t e d t h e s e structures, it is time to implement existing laws based on the principles of e q u i t y a n d f a i r n e ss. Therefore, I have directed all relevant agencies to enforce e x ist i n g tr affic , wa st e management and street trading laws. It is time to upgrade to the Omituntun 2.0 Lifestyle. We must appreciate the link between the rule of law and sustainable development. As we all know, where there is no law, there is chaos, and where there is chaos, b u s i n e s s a n d development suffer. We must never allow our communities to descend to the level of chaos that will turn away investors. Therefore, I direct the creation of the Oyo St a t e Mobilis a tion Agency for Socio-Economic Development (OMASED). This agency will be mandated t o e st a b l is h a p u b l i c orientation and sensitisation framework into which all agencies and departments of government must key in. This fr amework will ensur e continuous sensitisation and e n l i g h t e n m e n t u si n g traditional, electronic and social media. I further direct that this framework should incorporate a timetable for the enforcement of all e x ist i n g tr affic , wa st e management and street trading laws. Let me reassure the good people of Oyo State that Omituntun 2.0 will be better than 1.0. We will work even harder to ensure that the prosperity that our people have started enjoying under Omituntun 1.0 will continue for four more years. Before I end this speech, let me once again thank the good people of Oyo State for giving us another opportunity to serve by voting for us a second time with an even bigger margin of victory than the first time. I thank our friends from South Africa and Botswana and from around the world who are here today including my brother from a n o t h e r mo t h e r, Ni g e l Pickard and his son, George. I also thank leaders, elders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a ll t h o s e wh o wo r k e d tirelessly to make today a reality. Finally, I thank my d a r l i n g w i f e , M r s Tamunominini Olufunke Makinde, my children, Feyi, Tobi, Tayo, Folarin and Beeni f o r t h e ir s u p p o rt a n d understanding. Thank you and God bless you.

43 Protocol: Fellow Plateau citizens, It is with great pleasure and immense gratitude to God that I address you today, as the sixth democratically elected Governor of Plateau State. It is by His grace that I stand before you today. To Him alone be all the power and glory. It is indeed with deep gratitude to God Almighty, the Lord Jesus and to all of the good people of Plateau State that today has become a reality. This indeed is the day the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it. It has been a long journey but through it all we trusted the Lord and He has carried us through mountains and valleys and conquered giants on our behalf. Indeed, I must testify that if it had not been the Lord, we would not have seen this day. INAUGURAL SPEECH DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, BARR. CALEB MANASSEH MUTFWANG, AS GOVERNOR OF PLATEAU STATE, STATE OF U N A IG E E T R LA IA P 19 75 Gov. Caleb Muftwang

44 Your spontaneous outbreak of joy in rejoicing, singing and dancing which lasted for days is testimony of the cry and hunger in your hearts for a divine visitation in the days ahead. Thank you for this show of confidence in us. Thank you for the privilege and honour you have given us to serve you. We know you are expecting much from us. We will trust God for wisdom and enablement not to fail you. Today, it is not just my i n a u g u r a ti o n ; it is o u r inauguration as it marks the beginning of our collective quest for a new Plateau. Today, I prophesy that the new Plateau by this inauguration is born! The glory of Plateau shall manifest in the coming years to God’s glory and to our collective pride. We shall work round the clock to p r o v i d e t h e q u a lit y o f leadership and governance that our dear citizens deserve and yearn for. I recall with nostalgia how my team and I traversed the length and breadth of this God e n d o w e d s t a t e communicating our vision of a peaceful and prosperous Plateau. We emphasised the P l a t e a u b r o t h e r h o o d irrespective of tribe or faith. While it is true that I have a tribe and faith, I want to assure that I will use these identities as positive values to enhance our common good. I therefore welcome you all to the new Plateau where tribe and faith will no longer be tools for division but ri ch multi coloured threads to be weaved into strong ropes that will pull us together for unity and progress. By the grace of God, we shall remain committed to our vision for the state. Conscious of the fact that I have been elected Governor by the divine will of God and the great determination of the people, I promise by word and deed to be an advocate and Pr a c titione r of justi c e , fairness and equity. Let me take this moment to appreciate our founding fathers and past leaders, those with us and those departed, for their great sacrifices and services to the state. Indeed, they used their intellect, time, ene rgy and z e a l to l ay foundations, emancipate and redeem our people. We can look back and say indeed they contributed their quotas to the growth and development of our dear state. Today, we can build upon what they have done. To them we say thank you. I understand clearly the enormity of the task before me and I have no illusions that it is going to be an easy ride. The state is presently under a huge debt burden of over 200 billion naira, the healthcare sector is in need of urgent attention, our school system requires a comprehensive overhaul, our infrastructure is decayed and inadequate, and practically, every sector requires urgent redress. I must mention that there are no quick fix solutions to these challenges, but one thing is certain, we are prepared to take the challenges head-on and we will hit the ground running immediately. Fellow citizens, we have the resolve and we are resolute in our desire for a new Plateau. Let me reaffirm that we will summon the political will every step of the way to i n i t i a t e p o l i c i e s a n d p r o g r a m m e s t h a t w i l l engender peace, progress and prosperity in our land. This is a solemn commitment, and you can hold me to my word. Our plans are audacious and our programmes will be transformative but the smooth execution of these plans and programmes is predicated on pe a c e . This is be c aus e development can only exist where peaceful coexistence thrives. It is an undeniable fact that much blood has been shed on the Plateau for close to two decades now which has affected and retarded the pace o f o u r d e v e l o pme n t . I commiserate with the families who have lost their loved ones o v e r t h e s e y e a rs a n d especially the families in Riyom, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Bassa and more recently Mangu where we lost over 100 innocent souls who were brutally murdered in their sleep by the most recent premeditated attacks.

45 The genocidal attacks of the last couple of years suffered by many of our communities across the whole state have justifiably left deep wounds a n d tr a uma o n s e v e r a l widows, orphans, relations and friends. This has in turn bred hate, mutual suspicion misplaced anger on innocent passersby and so-called r e p r i s a l a t t a c k s . Unfortuna t e ly, this ha s opened the door for those who d isl i k e o u r u n i t y a n d prosperity to label us as hateful and unaccommodating when indeed our people are the victims. The time has come and the Time is Now, when we MUST say enough is enough. We must break this vicious circle of hate and attacks and refuse to allow people to brand us negatively. That is not who we are. I make bold to say that no other community of peoples is as a c c o m m o d a t i n g a n d welcoming like the people of Plateau. All we ask for is that those who live within the borders of Plateau must agree to live with us in peace and with utmost respect for our values and traditions. Like we sang during the campaigns, “I don’t care what tribe you belong to, But as far as on Plateau you live, If indeed you are in love with the Plateau, You’re my brother/sister”. This is the new orientation we must strive to project in the days ahead, which is that everyone who loves Plateau and especially anyone who lives within her borders is my brother/sister irrespective of tongue or creed. May the Lord Almighty fill our hearts with this understanding and baptize us into this spirit. Amen. I therefore call on all of us who truly love Plateau to embrace peace and look out for the well-being of one another. I enjoin us to let go of the hate and distrust of the past and embrace the brotherliness that our dear state is known for. We must learn from Rwanda; despite the crises and internal wars that engulfed the country in the past, it has turned itself around to become peaceful, prosperous and a choice d e st i n a t i o n i n A fri c a . However, we know that there are persons who do not seek the welfare of Plateau. They preach and fan the embers of h a tr e d . Th e y st o o d b y unconcerned when our people were murdered in cold blood. They even callously labeled such genocide as ‘farmers /herders clash’ to the chagrin of the whole world. In the spirit of the new Plateau, we shall give them an opportunity to repent and redeem themselves. If they fail, God will give us the wisdom to isolate and make them unworthy of recognition in the new Plateau we have embarked on building! I must also sound a note of warning to others who converted these waves of attacks as excuses for committing crime by stealing or sometimes putting innocent persons in jeopardy in the name of revenge to know that this would no longer be tolerated. My dear compatriots, I wish to a s s u r e y o u t h a t t h e government under my watch will be committed to peaceful coexistence and will work assiduously to secure the boundaries of Plateau State. I will be firm, but fair and just to all regardless of political, ethnic or religious inclination. We are a peace-loving people. That is who we are and that is our heritage. It was not a mistake that the state was christened “Home of Peace and Tourism.” It is possible to live in peace, because we have enjoyed peace for decades. O u r st a t e is a c h o i c e destination in Nigeria and it remains so. The land is beautiful and the weather is serene, second to none. My government shall ensure that visitors, tourists and investors enjoy their stay, visit tourist sites of their interest and carry out their legitimate businesses in a peaceful and serene environment. Fairness, equity and justice shall be our watchwords. Criminal elements/invaders hell bent on destruction will be decisively dealt with. Also, crises merchants will not go unpunished. We shall be strong on the rule of law to ensure that criminality under whatever guise is curtailed. It is also necessary to reassert that campaigns are over and the ge a r ha s shift ed to governance. Let us join hands d e s p i t e o u r p o l i t i c a l differences to build the Plateau of our dreams. Again, I extend a hand of friendship t o t h e g o v e r n o r s h i p

46 candidates of other political parties in the last general elections, alongside their supporters to join me in the quest for a new Plateau. Fellow citizens, the Time is Now, to unite in the face of a common adversary. It was Martin Luther King Jr who remarked, ‘we must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools’. Because we must not perish, we must unite. ‘We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided’. Our strength is in our unity, not in our numbers. A united minority is stronger t h a n a d i v i d e d majority. The Holy Bible upholds this truism in stating that ‘a house divided against itself cannot stand’. We must not allow our ethnic, political o r r e l i g i o u s inclinations divide us. There is no force, n o m a t t e r h o w formidable, that a u n i t e d p e o p l e c a n n o t o v e r c ome . Sh o u l d e r t o shoulder, we are stronger than whoever seeks to overrun us and take over our heritage. The Lord is our refuge and defender. He will fight for us and give us the resolve, resilience and courage not to fear or fret. Indeed, we are overcomers. W e l c o m e t o a n e w dispensation. By the grace of God, we are starting a new journey – a journey to secure Plateau, a journey to unite Plateau and a journey to develop Plateau. Our vision is to build a united, secure and p r o s p e r o u s p l a t e a u . Therefore, I will together with my team work day and night to transform the environment and the living conditions of our people for the better and to ultimately leave behind a legacy of great service for a better Plateau. Suffice it to say, our goal is to work relentlessly towards returning Plateau to its glory days and to reposition it for Peace and Prosperity. The Deputy Governor, Her Excellency, Hon. Josephine Piyo, and I are focused and single-minded in our quest to bequeath rich legacies to our successors and successive generations. Legacies that will live long in the hearts of our people. It is against this b a c k d r o p t h a t w e a r e committed to the following thematic areas: Peace and security: Security of lives and property is of great importance to us as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is our topmost priority because it is the foundation that gives birth to all forms of growth and development. The many years of human misery, d e s p a i r , hopelessness and pains our people have and are still going through must e n d . U n d e r m y watch by the grace of Go d n o P l a t e a u i n d i g e n e w i l l continue to live in camps other than the place of their choice. We call on our true f r i e n d s a n d d e v e l o p m e n t partners to rally round us in this great hour of need. By the grace of God, we will work within the constitutional provisions to defend and secure our state u s i n g m u l t i f a c e t e d approaches. We will as a matter of urgency revive and equip the state security outfit “Operation Rainbow” to augment the existing national security apparatus. While we salute the gallantry of some the officers and men of the various security agencies, there have a few bad eggs that have tarnished their image.

47 Under this administration we will fish such out and expose. For those who will lay down their lives to protect our people, we promise to stand with you and appreciate you sincerely. We shall collaborate with critical stakeholders within and outside the state, through the constitutional provisions and institute a standing committee that will shoulder the responsibility for the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). We shall deepen the operations of Plateau Peace Building A g e n c y ( P P B A ) a n d str e n g t h e n c ommu n i t y relations using mechanisms that promote mediation and dialogue-centred approach to confli c t pr evention and resolution. Fellow citizens, let me reaffirm that we shall explore all means possible within the constitutional provisions to secure our people. The Economy: We envisage Plateau State to b e t h e e c o n o m i c a n d commercial hub of Northern Nigeria, leveraging on its na tur a l endowments by c r e a t i n g a f r i e n d l y environment and Ease of Doing Busine ss for a ll busine ss pe rsons. As a si g n a t o r y t o t h e Op e n Government Partnership, we will improve the efficiency of the Public Service in line with global best practices. We will deliberately explore Public Private Partnership (PPP) as a p h i l o s o p h y f o r t h e development of all critical sectors. Agriculture: Our land is green, blessed, fertile and supportive of agriculture, coupled with the serene and clement weather condition favourable for special agricultural products. By the grace of God, we will adopt a pragmatic approach to ensure food sufficiency, food s e c u r i t y , e x p a n d e d employment generation and higher income levels. We will give special attention to agricultural products in which the state has comparative advantage to address the s c o u r g e o f p o v e r t y . U n d e r p e r f o r m i n g a n d mo ri b u n d a g ri c u l t u r a l i n s t i t u t i o n s s u c h a s Agricultural Service Training Company (ASTC), Plateau Agricultural Development Programme (PADP), and the re-acquired Brewery Agro Research Company (BARC) farm among others shall be r e i n v i g o r a t e d . F e l l o w citizens, conscious of the fact that agriculture has been and will continue to be the mainstay of the new Plateau economy; we shall take deliberate and immediate steps to procure fertiliser and other farming inputs for distribution to farmers at subsidised rates. The Time is Now to support our small farmers through organized cooperatives. We will seek to ultimately transform small scale farming to mechanised f a rmi n g a n d b u i l d t h e necessary infrastructure to enable our farmers key into dry farming practices so as to make agriculture a profitable venture for our populace. Tourism: Tourism is a major contributor to GDP, the world over. Plateau State has a great advantage because of its clement weather. Sadly, this sector has not been given adequate attention. We shall explore the Public Private Partnership financing option to develop this all- important sector in order to boost its contribution to the growth of our economy. M i n i n g a n d M i n e r a l Development: Plateau State is divinely endowed with solid minerals that if properly harnessed, will boost our internally generated r e v e n u e . We w i l l i n conjunction with Federal Government reorganise the mining sector to make it safer, profitable and beneficial to the state and the miners. Local miners will be empowered t owa r d s b e t t e r mi n i n g practices and licensing rights, open marketing outlets, and help Plateau State to gain statutorily from its minerals. We shall create a Special Purpose Vehicle to enable the state benefit maximally from the opportunities in the sector. Commerce: We will boost commercial activities by creating wealth, thereby making Plateau State

48 the commercial hub of the North. We will provide greater security, open access to credit facilities, and encourage development of markets and marketing structures in the state capital and across the rest of Plateau State. By the grace of God, we shall resolve the controversy surrounding the Jos Main Market and ensure that this glorious legacy is r e st o r e d . We will a ls o encourage local governments to build standard markets and ma k e b u si n e ss e s mo r e o rg a n is e d a n d effic i e n t t h r o u g h a p p r o p r i a t e technology. Sports Development: We will make Plateau State a major sport destination and sports tourist centre; taking advantage of our clement weather. We will mobilise local governments to build and develop new talents among our youths. By the grace of God, we shall explore various options for the completion of the Zaria Road Olympic Stadium. We shall s e e k f o r m e a n i n g f u l partnerships to develop our sports facilities and capacities from the grassroots. D i g it a l Ec o n o m y a n d Creative Industries: Plateau State boasts of a highly talented youthful population. Historically, the st a t e ha s produc ed top performers in entertainment, music, film making, arts and sports. We shall endeavour to ensure that we leverage technology to leap frog many a r e a s i n wh i c h we a r e backward. Indeed, the state has produced some of the top ICT talents in Nigeria today. We will reposition the ICT deve lopment agency to develop tech skills in our young people and embark on deliberate programmes that will boost the talent base by making our state an ICT hub so as to effectively plug into the digital economy. Youths, Women and Social Development: It is heartwarming to say that the average Plateau youth and women are hardworking. We will create the enabling environment for youth and women to participate actively in governance and engage development partners to e n h a n c e t h e i r l i v i n g c o n d i t i o n s t h r o u g h empowerment. P e o p l e L i v i n g w i t h Disability (PLWD): Proper attention will be given to the special needs of our sons, daughters and other pe rsons. The ir rightful opportunities to add value to society will be Education: Human capital has been one of our competitive advantages in the Nigerian nation. Years a g o , P l a t e a u w a s t h e d e sti n a ti o n f o r q u a lit y education. Unfortunately, this advantage is being gradually lost. We shall pay urgent a t t e n t i o n t o r e st o ri n g qualitative education to our teeming youths from the basic to the tertiary level. Our youth are our pride, strength and future! Therefore, rebuilding their capacity will continually be a major thrust of our administration. We shall explore relevant means to restore the lost glory of our public primary and secondary education, using the Rwanda model. We shall ensure adequate monitoring and evaluation, supervision, training and retraining of staff as well as rehabilitation of laboratories in public schools to compete favourably with the best of private schools. By the grace of God, we will halt incessant strike in our tertiary institutions by prioritising funding and welfare of l e c t u r e rs; a s w e l l a s accreditation of courses for qualitative learning. Health Care Delivery: A healthy population is a productive population. The health sector requires a total overhaul. There is a need to re – st a ff , r e - e q u i p a n d rehabilitate our hospitals. The primary health care system must be improved upon to provide quality services at that l e v e l a n d t o a v o i d overstretching the secondary and tertiary health facilities. A ls o , t h e st a t e h e a l t h insurance scheme will be deliberately expanded to accommodate more people, especially those outside formal employment. The u l t i m a t e g o a l o f t h is

49 administration is to make Plateau state a destination for medical tourism given the advantage of our weather which is ideal for recovery! R o b u st P h y si c a l a n d I n f r a s t r u c t u r a l development: The Time is Now to rebuild Plateau State. Infrastructural development critical to the future and survival of Plateau State would be rebuilt. Road and Transport: Physical Infrastructural d e v e l o p m e n t w i l l b e prioriti z ed to me e t the growing population of our st a t e . We a r e a lr e a d y d i s c u s s i n g w i t h t h e c o n t r a c t o r s o n s o m e abandoned but critical roads in the state. We will do our best to ensure that they return to site as soon as possible. We shall explore various options to ensure that both Federal and state feeder roads across the 17 Local Government Areas tha t r equir e immedi a t e intervention and completion for swift action. By the grace of God, critical junctions and traffic build up spots will be freed up with new bridges and interchange provision to allow free flow of traffic. We shall in collaboration with the Local Government Councils; revive the PDPpolicy of 5 kilometres of asphalt roads in each local government headquarters to make rural-urban migration less attractive. Adequate attention will also be given to rural roads. We will work out good drainage system in collaboration with relevant st a k e h o l d e rs t o c u rt a il flooding across the state. Power and Energy: Energy is very crucial to the development of every sector of our economy. We will summon the political courage to fully and adequately develop the hydroelectric, solar and wind potentials of the state in partnership with t h e e x ist i n g a n d n e w stakeholders in the power industry. We shall work round the clock to strengthen power supply in the urban city and extent it to rural communities across our local governments. With the deregulation of this critical sector, we shall endeavour to make Plateau state a net seller of electricity. The Plateau State Electricity will be repositioned as a Special Purpose vehicle for this purpose. WaterSupply: Water is essential for survival. We cannot imagine our lives without water. We shall take immediate steps to reconnect power supply to Plateau State Water Board for immediate supply of water to citizens. We will work out a dependable system of water supply to address water shortages in the Local Governments. Urban De v e l opment / Renewal: My fellow citizens, we desire t o m a k e P l a t e a u a n environmentally safe state starting with Jos, the state capital. This can only happen when we individually and collectively strive to portray our homes, surroundings and work places as safe and healthy. We will review the Greater Jos Master Plan with citizen input in this quest. To demonstrate our seriousness in this regard, I hereby declare a state of emergency on environmental sanitation in Jos North and Jos South Local Go v e r nme n t Ar e a s. All agencies of government must take immediate steps to clear the stinking and ugly heaps of waste littered across the state. Homes and offices must take responsibility for their refuse disposal in line with extant gove rnment guide line s. Henceforth we shall ensure that every polluter pays for his pollution. We shall ensure that the indiscriminate trading on roads thereby obstructing traffic as well as posing security concerns is arrested. We shall take steps to curtail the upsurge of illegal motor parks and the indiscriminate parking of trucks along major corridors. We call on the p ri v a t e s e c t o r t o t a k e advantage of this opportunity to partner with government for the restoration of the beauty of the city centre. Civil Service Reforms: We will strengthen and enhance the capacity of civil servants to carry out their d a il y r e s p o n si b ilit y o f implementing government policies diligently. We will look into areas of training, retraining, quality staffing and

50 meritorious reward system so that state workers will help deliver public services, support government’s policies and provide advice on policy formulation, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and documentation. We are aware of the pains our workers are currently facing whi ch have r e sult ed to industrial disharmony. Your welfare is a right, for every labourer is worthy of his wages. We will not regard payment of salary as an achievement but a duty; therefore, it will be one of our top priorities. We therefore, request civil servants in the state to end the ongoing strike in the interest of Plateau. This will provide the window for intense and sincere interaction towards resolving the issues. Financing options: The state is currently plagued with a huge debt burden, but that will not deter us from serving you effectively. We are committed to breaking t h e s t a t e ’s o v e r - dependenc e on one source of revenue which is based in Abuja and managed sometimes with uncertainty. We commit to work on multiple and sustainable income sources so that we can serve you better. In this regard, Public Priva t e Pa rtne rship (PPP) will be adopted as an official and strategic corner policy of our development initiatives. We will work to lower the cost of governance without jeopardising the future of our workforce. The state internal revenue service will be repositioned to play a leading and unambiguous role in radically improving state finance. Our ultimate target is to pay workers’ salaries from our IGR. L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t A d m i n i s t r a t i o n a n d Chieftaincy Affairs: We are very determined to become more effective and creative managers of our ethnic diversities and cultural identities. Our goal is to see the local government structure become a better hub of all human development with minimal supervision. We shall work towards making the autonomy of the Loc a l Governments a reality. Traditional institutions have become necessary pillars for the preservation of our culture and values. They are also a critical component of the p e a c e a n d s e c u r i t y i n f r a st r u c t u r e i n o u r c ommu n iti e s. We s h a ll empower the traditional institutions to confidently play v i t a l s e c u r i t y a n d developmental roles. We envision them as mobilizers for peace, security and prosperity in their areas of influence. To this end, we call on chiefdoms that are yet to s e l e c t t h e ir p a r amo u n t traditional rulers to lay aside their differences and ensure the vacant stools are filled as soon as possible! CONCLUSION: By the grace of God, I will personally lead from the front based on the principles of g o d l i n e ss, d e p e n d a b l e character and love for Plateau State. We will insist on due process, accountability,