Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, who is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, paid a visit to President Bola Tinubu on Thursday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
A photo of the visit which shows Bago kneeling before Tinubu, has, however, become the talk of the town, generating reactions from many Nigerians.
Bago had attracted attention when he agreed with Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate for the 2023 election, that it was inappropriate for Nigeria to accept grain donations from war-torn Ukraine. Bago even called Obi “my boss” when he spoke at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja during the Leadership Award ceremony.
In his address, Bago referred to Obi as “my boss,” affirming, “you are very right on what you’ve said. We have no reason to be poor. People may not like you, but they must hear you. What you say is the gospel truth.”
He emphasized the need for Nigeria to become self-sufficient in food production, stating, “It is time we tell ourselves the basic truth. We need to feed ourselves. It is a shame for people (sic) like Ukraine in war to be giving us food. Nigeria needs to be productive. You cannot be out of poverty unless you start to produce. I’m not an advocate of handouts and palliative. I don’t believe in it.”
Obi expressed his disappointment, labeling it a national embarrassment that Ukraine, amidst war, is providing food aid to Nigeria. However, Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, rebuffed the criticism, asserting that receiving grain donations from Ukraine, grappling with post-war challenges, is not a disgrace for Nigeria.
See reactions below:
