Why governors will cooperate with Buhari – Yari

Zamfara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Abdulaziz Yari, on Friday said that governors must cooperate with President Muhammadu Buhari because of the assistance he has given to state governments, especially in the areas of salaries payment.

He made the remark while speaking with State House correspondents after observing juma’at prayers with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He also advised that the next leadership of the NGF must work based on the president’s agenda.

According to him, the present membership of the forum under his leadership had cooperated in full with the President who has been magnanimous enough to provide bailouts that enabled the states to pay workers’ salaries.

Asked what type of NGF leadership he would like to see emerge after him, Yari said: “I will like to see a leadership that will perform better than I did, the type that will work in tandem with the Presidency.

“I appreciate my colleagues for giving me the cooperation and within the forum, there was no break up, and there was no crisis between the presidency and the forum.

“We worked together for our economy to grow and to support the president on his agenda to fight corruption and insecurity.

“You are fully away of what the President has done to the state, the bailouts to ensure that workers can be paid their salaries. We are all from the states including Mr. President himself.

“I can give the governors pass mark. Mr. President has commissioned a number of projects in the states, at times he sent representative.

“So, I hope the NGF will remain united and work in tandem with the federal government’s agenda,” he said.

He attributed his electoral victory and that of the state governorship candidate who he supported, to his ability to manage the direct primaries adopted by the All Progressive Congress (APC).

“I have said it repeatedly that if my colleagues can accept direct primaries, it is the simplest system that will involve every member of the party.

“In my state, there were only seven or eight people contesting for the governorship position and I have said it that if I could preside over primaries where 18 people contested and succeeded, why can’t I manage eight, nine or 10 in my state?

“I have been on ground since 1999 to date and I know the system and how it works. I have been party secretary, party chairman, House of Representatives and a two-term Governor. It is with this experience that I was able to manage.

“Unfortunately there were a lot of misunderstanding between the party in the state and the national body but in the end, we ended in the court and the court gave the verdict and INEC compiled.

“Though it came late, but if you are with the grassroots, definitely, everything must work well. The people appreciated what we have been doing and when it came to voting, they voted wisely,” he said

He said that he was very delighted at the outcome of the Zamfara election and thanked the people of the state for their resilience.

He said, “I am very happy with the outcome of the elections. I also want to appreciate my people, despite the fact that some people felt I was carried away by the activities at the center, insinuating I abandoned the seat especially with the security problem, but the people are aware of what the administration has been doing and they appreciate it.

“Despite the daily attacks, the security agencies were up and doing and their presence in the state was well appreciated by the people and the people appreciate the efforts of Mr. President which took us to where we are. Like I said, only God could have done it,” he stated.