Eniola Olayemi

Residents of Farin Gida in Kaduna North Local Government council hail the wife of Kaduna State Governor, Aisha Ummi Garba El-Rufai, Pledging hundred percent votes for the governor’s re-election.

The residents made this commendation while receiving Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who was accompanied by his wife, Ummi, Saturday afternoon.

In his remarks, the district head of Farin Gida, Yakubu Jatau, thanked Her Excellency Mrs El-Rufai, who promised to come to their aid after visiting the community few days back.

According to him, the governor’s visit was timely as no governor or prominent government official had ever visited the Farin Gida in the past.

He added that his people were left without any basic amenities such as primary health care, portable water and a primary school.

“On behalf of the good people of Farin Gida, I wish to extend our hearty gratitude to our mother, the wife of Kaduna State Governor, Hajiya Aisha Ummi Garba El-Rufai, who first came to see us.

“After listening to our ordeals, she left here in tears, and promised to see that Farin Gida is listed among communities that can enjoy the dividends of democracy.

“Surely, we thank God for this august visit by Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, who proved to be a diligent administrator. We believe that he is a gentleman and a leader worthy of emulation.

“It in this fate that we wish to inform the governor that in Farin Gida village, we don’t have primary school, hospital nor even a polling unit. During elections, we have to trek to some other places before we could cast our votes,” said Jatau.

The district head reiterated that Farin Gida, which has more than 10 thousand residents is a peace-loving community.

“Despite all these problems we go through, my people are very law abiding. We don’t have a record of any crisis within us. We live in peace with everybody here. I pray Governor El-Rufai will come to our aids,” he said.

While responding, Governor El-Rufai sympathised with the community for their ordeal, stressing that it was an obligatory responsibility of every meaningful government to make available all basic amenities to its people.

He however assured the Farin Gida community that his government is going to address all the necessary problems of the community.

Mr El-rufai added that his government is committed to serve humanity in order to promote peace and unity within the state.

On the lack of polling unit, the governor said  it is not the responsibility of a state government to provide residents with a polling unit, adding that it is the responsibility of the federal government and Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to make provisions for additional poling units.

As a governor, he said, he could only make an appeal.

“I will first of all thank you the district head and you people for the warm reception you gave us, and also apologize to you for all you are going through. It is the responsibility of the government to make available all basic necessities to its people.

“Few days ago, my wife told me she visited this community and found out that the people of Farin Gida lacked basic necessities and that is why I tasked myself to come and witness everything by myself.

“I am here to inform you that my government is committed to service delivery, therefore, I am assuring you that we shall address all your basic problem in a very shortest possible time.

And for the polling units, it is not the responsibility of a state government to provide a polling center, it is the sole responsibility of the federal government and INEC to address that.

“As a governor, I can only make an appeal, which may not be a final verdict. However, considering the fact that there is no time for such a problem to be addressed, because election is only few days away, we shall provide a means of transport for the residents of Farin Gida to ease their way to the polling units at the nearby centers,” said Mr El-Rufai.

Our correspondent gathered that the wife of the governor is also the coordinator of ‘APC Gida-Gida’, a campaign slogan for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Nasir el-Rufai