By Rita Michael
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar, has declared Thursday, April 26, 2018, public holiday over President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the state.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Ali M Ali, stated in Bauchi on Wednesday that the holiday was declared to enable all residents to give the President a rousing reception on Thursday.
While in Bauchi, according to the statement, the president will commission some projects especially roads and flag-off the distribution of 500 tractors to farmers in the state.
In a broadcast to the state earlier, the governor had enjoined the people of the state to come out enmass to receive the president expected to arrive Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, there is apprehension in Bauchi as well as among government officials that Buhari would abort the visit as speculations are rife that there is no tangible projects in the state for the President to commission except the road that leads to the governor’s private residence at Fadama Mada.
The fear is because President Buhari had cancelled two proposed visits in the past after elaborate preparations and millions of naira going down the drains.
When our correspondent went round the state capital, it was observed that uncompleted roads within the state capital were being tarred in anticipation of the August visitor.
But most of the road works are not completed at the time of this report.
Security has been beefed up in the state to ensure breakdown of law and order as security personnel were seen patrolling all nooks and crannies of the state while others were stationed in different strategic areas in the state capital.