Tinubu: I’ll Subsidise Farming, Not Fuel; Atiku, Obi Lying About Returning Subsidy

• Says NELFUND is weapon against poverty •North-west has rejected opposition’s claim that Tinubu is unwelcome in north, says Yari Deji Elumoye, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Ibrahim Shuaibu in Dutse President Bola Tinubu has declared that fuel subsidy would never return, dismissing those promising its restoration as liars. Tinubu, however, stated that his government would subsidise farming and not fuel consumption. Speaking at a rally in Jigawa State, yesterday, Tinubu said Nigeria could not continue to spend the future of its children to sustain a system that had become a national economic drain. Director-General of All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC-PCC), Senator Abdul-Aziz Yari, told the campaign that the massive turnout for Tinubu in the North-west state had exposed the lie in the opposition’s claim that the president would not be welcomed in northern Nigeria. The president declared at the rally, “To those who say subsidy is coming back, it’s a lie. Don’t let them lie to you again. It’s not going to come back. We cannot spend the future of our children today and feel that they will go tomorrow. “Those who think they should bring subsidy back, they are liars. How will you pay for those commitments? How will you repair the roads? How will you maintain them? How will you function? “We will subsidise farming. We will reward small scale farmers. Interest-free loan for farmers is coming. Prosperity is coming. Food security will happen. “I hope you hear me, Nigeria. You hear me, Nigeria. There will be interest-free loan for small scale farmers. We are going to install mechanised farming service centre in six geographical locations. Mechanised farming. “We have the arable land, we have the commitment, we have the people. We can feed ourselves and we will bring the food prices down to the minimum. I promise you on agriculture, mechanisation, irrigation and additional value for land, arable land.” Tinubu said universities would be more involved in agricultural research and development than ever before. He thanked the people for their loyalty and commitment, while promising to address the problem of insecurity head-on. “I have heard you loud and clear,” he declared. Tinubu added, “I know you have problems of insecurity in Nigeria. But working together, as your friend and partner, exchange information, anything you know about insecurity, report it immediately. “I promise you, we are working hard to ensure that Nigeria is safe and our forces are well taken care of, housing, reward, regardless of where they come from. We will conquer insecurity. “We have been through many wars. We will defeat our enemies. Enemies of unity, enemies of stability, enemies of all.” The president stated that his government had strengthened the police and the armed forces and was paying better salaries today. He described the student loan scheme, Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), as a weapon against poverty. According to him, “We are taking away the problem of the education of their children by establishing the NELFUND. NELFUND is a weapon against poverty. Are you with me? NELFUND is a weapon against poverty. And we will continue in that direction.” He announced that every money recovered from irregularities through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was directed to NELFUND to educate the children, and every asset recovered would be invested in NELFUND. Tinubu commended Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, saying he has never seen so much progress made by one man. He stated, “I have been here a number of years. I have never seen so much progress being made by one man. That is Governor Umar Namadi. He has worked so tirelessly and hard for all of us to benefit from the benefits of democracy.” He urged the Jigawa electorate to re-elect Namadi for a second term. Tinubu announced a major new support for farmers, declaring that the government would subsidise farming, not fuel consumption. He assured them that his government would invest in medical stability and opportunity in every local government. He stated that he would lower the cost of living for security and provide reliable power, saying, “not the old privatisation that is not working. We will provide you with reliable power in (every part of) Nigeria”. The president acknowledged the security challenges confronting the country and urged Nigerians to support security agencies by reporting suspicious movements and activities in their communities. “I know we have the problem of insecurity, but see your neighbour as a friend and report any suspicious activities,” he said. He pledged that his administration would intensify efforts to defeat insecurity through improved security infrastructure and better welfare packages for personnel of the police and armed forces. The president said, “We will conquer insecurity and defeat our enemies. We are working to strengthen the police and the military with better salaries. We cannot mortgage the future of our children for today’s challenges.” For his part, Yari said the massive turnout at the rally exploded the opposition’s claim that Tinubu would not be welcomed in northern Nigeria. Yari told the president that the crowd before him was proof that the North-west stood with him. He stated, “Your Excellency, Mr. President, these are your people, men and women and youths. This is North-west, where our opponents are campaigning that you are not going to be welcomed in the northern Nigeria.” Yari stressed that the opponents had nothing to offer beyond what Tinubu had done for Nigeria, both as governor and as President, and what he had done for the north. He said, “They have nothing to offer more than what you are doing for Nigeria, more than what you have done, when you were governor, and what you have done for this part of the country.” Yari challenged those who called themselves core northerners to point to any candidate they had supported to victory. He stated, referring to Tinubu’s strategic support for past northern leaders, “I will not repeat myself. I have said time and time again, those that you supported in northern Nigeria, the foundation you laid, supporting 1, 2, 3 in the northern Nigeria, I challenge those that are calling themselves core northerners whether they have supported a councillor and won an election, or supported a local government chairman win an election, or supported any governor win an election. “But our candidate, our president, supported them and supported a person who became a president for the first time or the second time without choosing himself.”