FG To Pick The Bill For Gen. Abubakar’s Africa Resource Centre

By Adesina Soyooye

Although about the sum of two billion Naira was raised on Saturday when former Head of State, retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar presented three of his books and launched a fundraiser for his proposed Africa Resource Centre to be built in Abuja, the Federal Government has said it will not only allocate a very large expanse of land for the project, but would pick the bill for its construction.

Vice President Kashim Shettima who represented President Bola Tinubu at the occasion, announced that the gesture was in appreciation of what General Abubakar did for Nigeria.

He said: “The establishment of the Abdulsalami Abubakar Africa Resource Centre is a worthy initiative that aligns with the values General Abdulsalami Abubakar has championed throughout his life.

“In recognition of its importance, I hereby direct the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to allocate a very huge piece of land within the Federal Capital Territory along the Airport Road for the development of the centre and the advancement of its mission.

“The Federal Government has already reviewed the building plans and would finance the project.”

President Tinubu went on to  describe the former Head of State as one of Nigeria’s most consequential leaders. He showered praises on Abubakar for keeping his promise to return the country to democratic rule after he assumed office in 1998.

Tinubu: “At a moment of profound uncertainty, when Nigeria stood at a crossroads, Providence entrusted him with the responsibility of leadership.

“He pledged to return the country to democratic rule and fulfilled that pledge faithfully and honourably. In doing so, he rendered one of the greatest services any leader can render a nation. He placed country above self and principle above power.

The transition programme supervised by Abdulsalami in 1999 laid the foundation for the Fourth Republic and the country’s longest uninterrupted democratic era.

During the fundraiser for tye project, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, donated the sum of N500m while the second richest African, Abdul Samad Rabiu said he would chip in N250m. A business man, Dahiru Mangal, donated N100m, while the Niger State Government pledged N350m.