A governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress in Adamawa State, Dr Salihu Bakari Girei, has declared that he remains the only contender in the party who truly understands the suffering and daily struggles of ordinary citizens.
Girei stated this on Thursday while addressing party supporters and stakeholders during a consultation visit to Mayo Belwa Local Government Area ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs said his humble background and personal experience with hardship placed him in a better position to govern the state with compassion and sincerity.
According to him, many of the other aspirants seeking the APC ticket were disconnected from the realities facing the people.
“I understand the pains of the poor because I have experienced hardship myself. There was a time during my university days when I survived with only two shirts and one pair of trousers,” he said.
He added, “After my father retired from civil service, he was not paid gratuity for four years. At some point, I survived on soaked garri without sugar. That experience shaped my understanding of poverty and suffering.”
Girei said Adamawa required a leader who understood the socio-economic challenges confronting farmers, traders, teachers and youths across the state.
The aspirant, who also served as Executive Secretary of SUBEB and senior director at UBEC and TETFund, promised to improve education, healthcare and job opportunities if elected governor.
He maintained that his administration would focus on building more schools, improving teachers’ welfare, establishing healthcare centres and empowering young people through employment and agricultural support programmes.
In what appeared to be a direct attack on rival aspirants, Girei claimed some politicians seeking endorsements as consensus candidates were merely afraid of facing him in an open contest.
“They know the people are with us. That is why they are running around looking for shortcuts instead of allowing party members to decide,” he said.
Director-General of the SBG Governorship Campaign Council, Chief Phanuel Elias Mosu, urged APC members to remain united and ignore rumours surrounding the 2027 race.
He said the party must support credible leaders capable of delivering dividends of democracy to the people.
Also speaking, former Head of Service and ex-Federal Commissioner, Dr Louis Mandama, said Girei’s administrative experience and educational background made him stand out among other aspirants.
A former Commissioner for Information, Yohanna Mathias, expressed confidence that the people of Mayo Belwa would massively support Girei because of his grassroots connection and leadership qualities.
Party leaders in the area described the visit as impactful, saying the aspirant’s engagement with stakeholders reflected genuine concern for the welfare of the people.
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