By Ayo Ayodele
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerian governors to remain focused on delivering impactful governance and not be distracted by armchair critics. Speaking during his two-day working visit to Katsina State, the President emphasized that true leadership is measured by visible results that improve the lives of the people.
“Let the people be at the heart of your programmes,” the President said. “Your hard work and concrete achievements will answer any criticism. Ignore distractions—your results will speak for you.”
During the visit, President Tinubu commissioned the 24-kilometre Eastern Bypass road, completed in 18 months by Governor Dikko Umar Radda. He also inaugurated the Katsina Agricultural Mechanized Centre, designed to support farming across the state’s 34 local government areas.
Commending Governor Radda’s commitment, President Tinubu said, “In just half of your tenure, you have made remarkable progress. Your investment in agriculture, healthcare, education, and infrastructure is highly commendable. You are a patriot and a progressive leader.”
The President acknowledged the challenges of insecurity in Katsina State, including terrorism and banditry, but praised the Governor’s resilience and promised continued federal support.
On national priorities, President Tinubu highlighted hunger and poverty as the biggest threats to peace. “We are on the right path. We are banishing hunger and strengthening food security. Small and large-scale farming will be encouraged. Agriculture must be our engine for growth.”
He reiterated the federal government’s commitment to revitalising the Bank of Agriculture to provide funding for farmers at all levels and called on governors to prioritize agricultural mechanisation and water management.
The President also expressed gratitude to past leaders of the state, including former Governors Ibrahim Shema and Aminu Bello Masari, and to the traditional councils of Katsina and Daura for their support and hospitality.
“For me, this is a homecoming. Katsina is home—home to progress, development, and freedom,” he said.
Governor Radda reported significant gains made under his administration, including the construction and rehabilitation of 160 kilometres of roads, improvements in power, water supply, and healthcare, and the distribution of 400 tractors and thousands of pumping machines to support farmers.
He added that the state distributed 448,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser in 2024 and plans to distribute 400,000 metric tonnes in 2025.
Dignitaries at the commissioning included governors from Borno, Benue, Kaduna, Kwara, and Jigawa States, along with former Governors Shema and Masari, and federal ministers.