By Priscilla Campbell, Minna
A Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Niger State, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa, has said that the state was shortchanged in ministerial appointment by the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration.
Vatsa, a former Commissioner of Information and Strategy and the state party ex-PRO, made the allegation in Minna.
He said that Niger State had been badly treated, despite its contributions to the victory of the APC in the 2015 and 2019 elections.
His words:
“We have been shortchanged for the junior minister position allocated to us in view of our contribution to the party’s victory in the 2015 and 2019 elections. We worked and delivered votes more than other states who have either two Ministers or that got senior Ministries”.
He also lamented that because the state is the largest energy contributor, in the country, it ought to have been given the Minister of Power to man just as those from Niger Delta are appointed to head the Ministry of Niger Delta affairs.
“The state is playing host to the three hydro electric dams that are contributing over 70 percent of energy requirement of the country in addition to the Zungeru dam which is under construction. So therefore we should be allowed to oversee the power ministry,” he said.
Another option, according to Vatsa, would have been the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, since Niger State gave out 90 percent of its land that made up Abuja without adequate compensation.
“We feel shortchanged by Mr. President as a state because hard work was not rewarded, and above all, equity, justice and Fair Play were overlooked in the allocation of ministerial portfolios by Mr. President. In 2015, we delivered 100% to the APC and in 2019, the state also worked tirelessly and all we got is junior ministers”.
Vatsa insisted that in 2015, Honourable Bawa Bwari was made Minister of State for Solid Mineral Resources and in 2019 Ambassador Zubairu Dada has been appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
It would be recalled that various interest groups have continued to react over portfolios allocated to the newly inaugurated ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari.
