The Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council says Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has the potential to be a good president.
King Malla Sasime, Vice Chairman, Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council, expressed this view while receiving Osinbajo who paid a courtesy call on traditional rulers at the Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council Secretariat on Saturday in Yenagoa.
Osinbajo was in Bayelsa to perform the groundbreaking of the construction of Angiama-Oporoma Bridge, which will link Yenagoa, Capital of Bayelsa, and the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
The traditional ruler thanked Osinbajo for the visit and implored him to maintain the cordial relationship with the state.
“Vice President, your name has been called for very good reasons; and the reason why your name has been on is maybe people think that you have been very good and we appreciate your efforts in governance.
“If you come out for president, you will be a good material as those rumours are all over the place in the social media.
“So, we thank you for being a good vice president; we hope that you keep your relationship with Bayelsa in very good stead; thank you very much,’’ he said.
Responding, Osinbajo, who was accompanied by Gov. Douye Diri, thanked Sasime for his kind welcome and reception.
He said that he was in the state to identify with developmental projects of the governor in collaboration with the Federal Government.
“As you have heard, I am here at the invitation of my brother, the Governor of Bayelsa, to celebrate the second year anniversary of his government and also to look at some of the works that are going as well as perform the groundbreaking of a very important project.
“We will be driving in a few minutes on the Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie road; and thereafter, we will be performing the groundbreaking of the Angiama-Oporoma Bridge–which are very crucial projects.
“I am sure you all know how important that road project is; and how several governments have worked on it including the immediate past governor of the state.
“They have done their own bit up to a point and in the true tradition of continuum of the government, the current governor is set to complete the project and to ensure that he made available to the good people of Bayelsa, especially many of these communities that will benefit significantly from this.’’
According to the vice president, the project is an evidence of the collaboration between the federal and state governments.
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He said that President Muhammadu Buhari had shown by his openness, by his desire to ensure that despite political differences, every state in Nigeria benefits fairly and justly.
“By making sure that as this road has been built, the Federal Government refunded the cost of the project so far and will continue to refund.
“So, essentially, what we are seeing here is collaboration between the state and the Federal Governments for the benefit of the good people of Bayelsa.
“I think that this is the way it must be; at the end of the day, political differences do not matter to our people; what our people want is the same thing everywhere across the country.
“They want good roads; they want good infrastructure; they want an enabling environment to be able to do their businesses; they want good health facilities; good social facilities; and that’s what really the Federal Government is determined to do.’’
Osinbajo said he was happy that the Federal Government had a partner in the government of Bayelsa, led by Diri.
He said sure desires could only be achieved if everyone works together, the federal, state, local governments working together.
“The politicians and technocrats are working together to ensure that we achieve the same objective.”
He thanked the governor for the warm welcome and for the nice Ijaw outfit that he (Osinbajo) wore.
“When you look at this outfit, you would imagine that this is what I wear everyday; it is well made but it is courtesy of my dear brother, Diri.
“He is the one that made sure that I am appropriately attired.
“All, I can say to him is that he has to make me a few more because after people have seen this, they expect me to show up more often in this outfit.
“So, I want to thank you very much your Royal Majesties and thank the good people of Bayelsa for the warm welcome,’’ he said.
Osinbajo was earlier presented with a traditional gift — a walking stick — to match the Ijaw traditional attire he adorned.