Real Reasons why Buhari wants Railway from Daura to Maradi in Niger Republic
(I plead with you to try and read to the end)
By Adekunle kasali
For some reasons unknown to me, Nigerians are no longer paying attention to things that matter about the way they are being ruled. They no longer pay attention to some of the things their rulers say. Otherwise, a strange item in President Muhammadu Buhari’s New Year Day speech should have brought millions of Nigerians to the streets in angry protests.

When first I listened to the President making that speech I could not believe my ears. So I had to wait until the mainstream media published the full text of the speech, and there it was in cold print: “Negotiations are also advanced for the construction of other railway lines, firstly from Kano to Maradi in Niger Republic passing through Kazaure, Daura, Katsina, Jibia to Maradi”.

Maradi is the third largest city in Niger Republic with a predominant Hausa/Fulani population. It is about an hour’s drive through a bumpy road from Jibia, the border town near Buhari’s hometown, Daura, in Katsina State. When I went to cover the 2007 presidential election in which Buhari ran on the All Nigerian People’s Party, ANPP, in 2007 and the late President Umaru Yar’ Adua of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, I had joined a team of journalists that went to Daura to visit Buhari for an interview. We also monitored the election in Jibia, which is a border town with Niger.

I realised how easy it was for people from the two countries to cross the rickety border post manned by a man dressed virtually in rags. He only smiled when we decided to set foot on Niger Republic soil. Indeed, it may interest Nigerians to know that Daura Emirate stretches deep into Maradi and Zinder Departments in Niger Republic. During the 2015 election, there were reports of thousands of people from Niger Republic crossing the porous borders to vote in an election that was none of the business of their country. In the far North Nigerian electoral officials hardly ask questions about the eligibility of voters. That is why you see millions of under-aged voters voting, and at the end the polls are declared “free and fair”.

Once Buhari achieved his life’s ambition of matching Olusegun Obasanjo’s feat as a former military ruler who became an elected President of Nigeria, his visit to Niger Republic became the first of the 22 foreign trips he made within 11 months before he was slowed down by ill-health. He was received by the President and people of Niger like a triumphant son back from the battlefield. Niger Republic President, Mahamadou Issoufou, gave him a white horse and a golden sword. In fact, Issoufou, in 2016, emblazoned Buhari’s photograph beside his own on vehicles during political campaigns.

I went into all this to let you know that the planned new Nigerian railway network from Kano through Daura and Jibia to Maradi in Niger Republic is a selfish project that has nothing to do with other Nigerians like you and me. Even though a president’s oath of office indicates: “….that I will not allow my personal interest to influence my official conducts or my official decisions…”, Nigerian presidents and governors brazenly disregard their oaths of office and oaths of allegiance and divert the state’s or nation’s resources to their pockets, and after that, to massively develop the infrastructures of their hometowns no matter how remote such places are.

For me, if Buhari had merely sought to connect his hometown, Daura, and even Jibia to the new national railway network, I would not have minded it too much, though it violates the principle of economic viability and bankability, which the largely borrowed funds will emphasise in order that we repay the debts in good time. The same logic that led the British colonialists to pass the Eastern rail line through Eha Amufu in today’s Enugu State and terminate it at Nguru in today’s Yobe State and pass the Western line through Kaura Namoda in today’s Zamfara State can also be adduced to extend the new rail network through Daura to Jibia, even if a president did not hail from there.

The offensive aspect is extending the railway 55 kilometres into a foreign land just because the President considers the region as part of his hometown.

When the Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, was called upon by critics of this unviable extension of our railway to defend it, his response was vacuous and of very little use as a justification. By the way, the proposed new rail addition from Kano through Kazaure, Daura and Jibia to Maradi covers a whopping distance of 806 kilometres, which is more than the distance from Lagos to Abuja (779km) and Lagos to Calabar (770km). It is important for Nigerians to know the scale of the rail line and the amount of borrowed and oil money we are going to dump on this aspect of the project just to gratify the personal whims of the President.

Hear the Minist

Lol..

All this is totally needless.

Any sane mind already knows Buhari is a bigot and an extreme extremist.

Our deliberations now should be on how to successfully oust the dunce come 2019 elections and elect a more worthy candidate.

So now your complaining about Niger again

If buhari did Lagos to Abuja, you would complain he neglected 5%



Whst will you ever be grateful for?

GMBuhari:
So now your complaining about Niger again

If buhari did Lagos to Abuja, you would complain he neglected 5%



Whst will you ever be grateful for?

Op has a point
Niger not Niger state is not part of Nigeria
Why waste money doing rail way guage for another country.

It is really difficult right now to pray for my leader (president) as the Bible requires, but I will still pray.

As he has neglected the people of Benue by not showing up or making a speech, he will be neglected by God in times of trouble.

As he as chosen his interest above that of our nation, peace will be far from him.

I'm ashamed I once supported this man called buhari. Buhari is a wicked man.

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice:
but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn" Prov.29:2

I feel very sorry for Nigeria as a country.

But I pray that the eyes of the youths will be opened to see that power lies in their hands.

I pray Nigeria will be great again.

Our next person will cancel that useless rail project

Waiting for the first zombie. Afonjas let’s overlook this to ensure that little dullard Osibanjo retains his VP seat.

are you just being funny, utterly dense or hugely ignorant?

GMBuhari:
So now your complaining about Niger again
If buhari did Lagos to Abuja, you would complain he neglected 5%


Whst will you ever be grateful for?

Long story, but worth reading. Is it today you get to know that Buhari is a bigot?!

debaj10:
are you just being funny, utterly dense or hugely ignorant?

Those things are characteristics of your ancestors


Who in his right mind will go to war with army knowing he had no more than 2000 rifles

[quote author=Haganah post=64146324][/quote]

joinnow:

Op has a point
Niger not Niger state is not part of Nigeria
Why waste money doing rail way guage for another country.

Belgium is connected to Spain, Netherlands, Germany by rail it has economic importance

GMBuhari:



Belgium is connectedness Spain, Netherlands, Germany by rail it has economic importance

I really don't understand why it is difficult for u to understand this is not further Maths or calculus.

Nigeria want to build railway gauge from Nigeria into another country (Niger) and you think it is OK.
The three above countries build theirs.
Germany did not build for Netherlands using Germany resources or Netherlands build for Spain.
Let Niger sell their cows,raise fund build the railway guage to the border then Nigeria can link to them.
Pmb just want to enter direct train to where he will buy his cow his country of origin.
You think we do not know.

joinnow:


I really don't understand why it is difficult for u to understand this is not further Maths or calculus.

Nigeria want to build railway gauge from Nigeria into another country (Niger) and you think it is OK.
The three above countries build theirs.
Germany did not build for Netherlands using Germany resources or Netherlands build for Spain.
Let Niger sell their cows,raise fund build the railway guage to the border then Nigeria can link to them.
Pmb just want to enter direct train to where he will buy his cow his country of origin.
You think we do not know.

Very funny,

NO the countries did not build for either of themselves but someone started it and others realizing the importance connected to it


You are making it sound like Buhari is going to build that rail into every city in Niger, all that's required is a landing / train station at the border and from there travellers or traders will find their way



This is the problem your ancestors had, short sightedness, I heard your elders traded crude oil for bottles of foreign whisky and some chocolates


Always see beyond your nose, think of the future not the present

joinnow:

Op has a point
Niger not Niger state is not part of Nigeria
Why waste money doing rail way guage for another country.

Buhari has more affinity with his kit and kins over their than Nigerians,its the wealth of Nigeria that makes him to still claim Nigeria, his soul is with them.

greatbygrace:
It is really difficult right now to pray for my leader (president) as the Bible requires, but I will still pray.

As he has neglected the people of Benue by not showing up or making a speech, he will be neglected by God in times of trouble.

As he as chosen his interest above that of our nation, peace will be far from him.

I'm ashamed I once supported this man called buhari. Buhari is a wicked man.

"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice:
but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn" Prov.29:2

I feel very sorry for Nigeria as a country.

But I pray that the eyes of the youths will be opened to see that power lies in their hands.

I pray Nigeria will be great again.

Stop praying useless prayer, Nigeria is going down and your prayer without knowledge will not save it. Righteousness exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to any people. Read 2 chronicles 7: 14 and know if your prayer is qualified to receive answers for Nigeria.

That railroad is of significant economic importance to the north and it must go on as planned. All the rest of you can do is wail on the internet

surgical:
Buhari has more affinity with his kit and kins over their than Nigerians,its the wealth of Nigeria that makes him to still claim Nigeria, his soul is with them.

True talk bros

GMBuhari:



Those things are characteristics of your ancestors


Who in his right mind will go to war with army knowing he had no more than 2000 rifles

I noticed that you've been insulting ancestors.
did something happen to you or your family?
did a village elder swear for you?
pls let us know if you need prayers or deliverance k?

@ ur last post, kindly read the article again OK?
an intelligent essay on cattle will still net u f9 in a physics exam.

HeyCorleone:
Lol..

All this is totally needless.

Any sane mind already knows Buhari is a bigot and an extreme extremist.

Our deliberations now should be on how to successfully oust the dunce come 2019 elections and elect a more worthy candidate.

Its not totally needless....his point is ur voters card alone won't safe you....Niger people.... A whole country on it self is coming to vote him....adding to the septic tank sniffers up north....his analysis is that buhari has won 2019 election

Enjoy ur one Nigeria

debaj10:
I noticed that you've been insulting ancestors.
did something happen to you or your family?
did a village elder swear for you?
pls let us know if you need prayers or deliverance k?

@ ur last post, kindly read the article again OK?
an intelligent essay on cattle will still net u f9 in a physics exam.

I don't need your prayers rather your ancestors are complaining bitterly how you've been a disappointment

How come none of u is saying anything about that Sambo statement of four years ago?

GMBuhari:



Belgium is connected to Spain, Netherlands, Germany by rail it has economic importance

...and what exactly do Nigeria import from Niger republic that warrants a railroad