BEVERLY HILLS, September 17, (THEWILL) – President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said he will continue to ensure equitable and fair distribution of appointments among the 36 states of the federation.
He made this promise during an interaction with a delegation of Akwa Ibom leaders and elders who visited him at the presidential villa in Abuja led by Sen. Godswill Akpabio
He also promised more infrastructure projects in Akwa Ibom State and the southern part of the country and noted that provision has been made for the dualisation of Ekot-Ekpene Aba axis in the 2019 budget.
“I have taken note of your appreciation of appointments into the Federal Service from your state,” he said.
“I assure you that I shall continue to be fair and equitable in federal appointments to all states of the country.
“To complete the Cross River – Akwa Ibom- Abia State axis of the road, I have directed the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning to provide in the 2019 budget the dualisation of Ekot-Ekpene Aba axis.
“Please recall also that railway projects also cover your state as well as other South – South and South East states of the country.
“I also wish to inform you that the construction of section 5 of the East West road, Oron – Calabar (Cross River state) a major priority project to be funded under the forum on China – Africa Cooperation, arrangement with Chinese government, has received approval.”
Akpabio, who was the Senate Minority leader before his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in August, said that his heart was with President Buhari in the 2015 election despite the fact he was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He lamented that throughout the PDP’s 16 years in office at the federal level, there was not even one kilometre road project by the federal government in the state.
The delegation promised to support the President’s re-election bid in 2019.
THEWILL recalls that President Buhari recently appointed Yusuf Magaji Bichi as the new Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
He also recently appointed the Minister of State Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed as the supervising Minister of Finance after Kemi Adeosun’s resignation.
Bichi’s and Zainab’s appointment has reignited a debate about the fairness of President Buhari’s administration to federal appointments.
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