President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said that his decision to appoint two ministers each from Kaduna and Kano states was based on their massive support in the 2019 presidential election.
The president disclosed this during a courtesy visit on the Emir of Zazzau, Dr. Shehu Idris, in his palace in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Buhari acknowledged the massive votes he received in Kano and Kaduna states, saying that was why he allocated two ministerial seats to each of the states.
“Kaduna and Kano states are the only two states I gave two substantive positions in my Council, so I have appreciated your votes and paid you back by giving you ministers of environment and finance,” the president said.
In the Federal Executive Council (FEC) inaugurated on Wednesday, Kaduna got two A-Grade ministries – Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning and Dr. Muhammad Mahmoud, Minister of Environment.
Kano was given two powerful ministries – Sabo Nanono, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Maj.-Gen. Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd), Minister of Defence.
Of the 15,191,847 total votes secured by Buhari in the February 23, 2019 presidential election, he got 2,458,213 votes in Kano and Kaduna states.
The president secured the highest vote in the election in Kano State. Buhari got 1,464,768 votes in Kano to defeat his rival and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, who got 391,593 votes.
Atiku could not secure the mandatory 25 per cent of votes in Kano.
In Kaduna, the president polled 993,445 votes against Atiku’s 649,612.
Buhari expressed happiness that people were willing to support his administration without even government talking to them about it, adding that this is genuine support.
“I have been talking to the governor when we were driving, the young people, the population growth here is so big and the 20 and below are the majority.
“And they don’t seem to care how you make it, but they want the leadership to provide jobs, to provide security and all other things that are expected of government.
“A lot of them have not got the opportunity for further education, so let us study the constitution and see the responsibilities of three tiers of government.
“Before you push everything to me, I am just reminding you that I will do my best and I will make sure that the new cabinet is working for the good of Nigeria and Nigerians,” he said.
The president, who noted that issues of unemployment would be quickly addressed when all levels of government lived up to their duties, assured the emir that he would do his best in attending to some requests presented to him before leaving office.
“Your highness, your shopping list is an expensive one and since I have four years to go, I will try and start or do most of them before I go. So that when I eventually go, it will be on your record that I listened to your representation on behalf of your constituency.
“We are in a very difficult time. The emir has mentioned about insecurity and you know it very well that my party and I identified three issues right from 2015.
“Number one is security, because you have to secure a country or an institution to manage it properly and the second one is economy and third is fight against corruption.”
Earlier, the emir appealed to the president to look into the issue of collapsed industries in Kaduna State with a view to proffering urgent solution to the problem.
He pleaded with the president to consider the possibility of reconstructing or rehabilitating Zaria-Pambeguwa road, Kaduna-Jos road and Zaria-Funtua road.
The monarch also reminded the president that the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), being one of the oldest hospitals, established in 1967, was being challenged by lack of funds.
The emir later presented a horse to the president as a sign of appreciation for the visit.
President Buhari, during the visit, also inaugurated the second phase of Zaria Water Project, PZ- Kwangila dual carriage way and ABU Business School.
