The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Alhassan (Mama Taraba), weekend, debunked claims of her resignation from President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet.
The denial followed speculations that the minister has tendered her resignation.
Mama Taraba, as she is popularly called had in a statement posted on her twitter’s handle urged the general public to disregard the speculations, adding that she remains loyal and committed party member.
The Minister who had earlier pledged her loyalty to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has remained in Buhari’s cabinet despite her close association with the former All Progressive Congress ( APC) chieftain who resigned from the party to seek the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) presidential ticket.
“It has come to my attention that the letter of intent transmitted to President @MBuhari dated 27th July, 2018 has been received by some quotas with mix reaction
“I wish to state that I am still a cabinet member serving under President @MBuhari led federal government and urge the general public to discontainance such news of my resignation forthwith.
“Further aware that the letter was received and responded to by Mr. President on the 27th July, 2018. If I had resigned as purported by some quotas I wouldn’t have attended federal executive council meeting held on the 1st August, 2018.
“In this note, I am urging my teeming supporters and All Progressives Congress in Taraba state to be rest assured of my continue support as a loyal and committed party member and be law abiding “as Mr. President is committed to providing enabling ground for free, fair and transparent election come 2019”.
This is just as the Buhari’s administration weekend said it was putting the current political distractions behind it to concentrate on its promise of developing the national infrastructure dream with the expansion of the southern rail corridor especially the 12 Stations rail that will run across Kogi, Edo and Delta States.
The country had witnessed a heightened political tension following the defection of high profile politicians from the ruling APC including Nigeria’s number three citizen and President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, Governors Samuel Ortom, Abdulfatah Ahmed and Aminu Tambuwal of Benue, Kwara and Sokoto states respectively.
The gale of defection had claimed 15 Senators as well as 37 members of the House of Representatives from the ruling APC to the main opposition PDP, even as speculations are rife that more will abandon the ruling party for the opposition in the coming weeks ahead of the 2019 general election.
Political pundits had seen the recent embankment of President Muhammadu Buhari on a 10 day leave as a reflection of the political tension
But Presidency on its Twitter handle #GovtatWorkNG, said it will not be distracted as it will concentrate on the provision of its promises to expand the nation’s infrastructure especially with the rail line that is expected to cross Agbor in Delta State which will be the central hub of the line, home to the biggest passenger station, as well as a Railway Village.
“Agbor is 60km from Asaba, 70km from Benin and 75km from Onitsha.”
The rail was originally envisioned as freight – only rail line by the former President Ibrahim Babangida’s administration to link ports and industries in the Nigeria’s iron ore and steel producing region, but is now being configured to accommodate passenger and freight rail to link Nigeria’s rail network in the Southern and Eastern corridors.
Federal government believes that when finally completed, the new rail networkwill halve travel time between the North and Southern part of Nigeria.
“The 327km standard-gauge rail line is to link Itakpe in Kogi State to Ajaokuta and then on to Warri, Delta State (Itakpe to Ajaokuta, 50km; Ajaokuta to Warri, 277km)”
“There are plans to in the near future extend the line to reach Lokoja and Abuja, where it will connect with the Kaduna-Abuja Rail Line. #GovtatWorkNG”
Tony Ailemen, Abuja
