A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress in Abia State, Professor Anthony Agbazuere, has said the voting pattern of the South-East geopolitical zone will change in 2027 in favour of President Bola Tinubu.
He also urged those nursing the ambition to contest the 2027 presidential election with Tinubu to sheathe their sword and allow him to complete his agenda for the country.
Agbazuere spoke on Saturday in Ikem Nvosi Isialangwa Local Government Area of the state during a stakeholders meeting of APC members from the old Aba political bloc in the state, pointing out that the president, through his policies, has stabilised the economy and restored hope for the common man.
He maintained that the removal of fuel subsidy by the president has encouraged massive development across Nigeria because money has been made available for State Governors and Local Government chairmen to work.
The APC chieftain also posited that the creation of the South-East Development Commission, which is intended to rebuild the zone from ruins of the civil war, has further endeared Tinubu to the people of the zone.
He said, “As members of the APC, we are very happy that we have a president who is working very hard, who is exceptional as a leader. President Bola Tinubu is a special species of man. Only those who have little IQ will dispute that.
“President Tinubu came in as president of Nigeria when the former government was printing money to survive. What they call wages and means. They were printing money to survive. And that meant keeping our children and grandchildren in a state of indebtedness for life. Pushing our troubles and our problems forward for our children and grandchildren. President Bola Tinubu came in and said no.
“Living a false life. For how long shall that be? That a lot of people were making so much money from the fuel subsidy. Because at that time, people would buy fuel from Nigeria and go and sell the same fuel to countries outside Nigeria at the boundaries of Nigeria and make billions of Naira.
“Nigeria was subsidising not just for Nigerians alone, but for other countries around Nigeria. And that meant it was wrong. And President Tinubu said no.
“He now had to remove the fuel subsidy and all the quantum of funds coming from there. He started pushing those funds, those monies, back to the people through the state governments and local governments. And that’s why he’s saying that we should go to state governments to account for these monies.”
Agbazuere also lauded President Tinubu for restoring local government autonomy but accused state governors of frustrating the implementation of the supreme judgment in favour of the autonomy.
“And this is the only government too that came on board and saw the need for local governments to be autonomous. The federal government of Nigeria, under President Tinubu, had to file a suit at the Supreme Court.
“And the Supreme Court delivered a judgment that funds meant for local governments should be given to them directly. Even up to now, the states are still disobeying.
In education, Agbazuere commended President Tinubu for introducing the student loan scheme to assist the children of
poor parents, to complete their university education.
“This is the same government and the only government that has come up to say, look, children of poor parents, you must not be chased away from universities.
“I am introducing student loans for you to pay your school fees. And you can only pay back when you start working at your convenience, and of course, gradually. But to make sure you complete your school education, your university education, we must support you as a government,” he said.
The APC chieftain also pointed out that the president has also modernised the tax system, meaning that those whose incomes are low will no longer pay tax in Nigeria.
“Today, if you’re not working in Nigeria, you won’t pay tax. Who has ever done this before? If not Tinubu, so why must we not support such a person that says that the rich who get so much money should be paying their tax.
“Those who have not gotten enough as salary should not pay tax. Where does this ever happen? Is it not Nigeria? Is it not Tinubu? That’s what we are saying. Such a person should be allowed to exhaust his program of action.
“President Tinubu is focused. He is visionary. And that’s what people like us at my level as a professor of laws, I say, look, allow this man. Those who think they have other ideas should wait after his tenure of eight years. They can come and let us all see what they have,” he added.
The convener of APC in the Ukwa la Ngwa bloc, Chief Ebere Nwachukwu, said the meeting was intended to encourage the party members from the zone to unite ahead of the party congress in October this year.
He also added that APC members were working hard to win the 2027 governorship election in Abia State.
