By Our Reporter

Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule has given reasons why he picked Dr. Emmanuel Akabe to be his deputy, stressing that he selected Akabe because of his competence and experience.

Engineer Sule made this known while playing host to a delegation of the Alago Nation that paid him a courtesy call at the Government House on Tuesday.

The Governor emphasized that he picked Akabe as deputy not because he is Alago by tribe but because he is dependable, loyal and honest.

“And I am not bragging, to work with me, you need some level of honesty. Because if you are honest, we should be able to work together. Once we can work together, believe me, we will do nothing but the best for Nasarawa State. And that is what we intend to do,” Engineer Sule said.

While taking out time to commend Alago sons and daughters contributing their quota towards the development of the state under the present administration, Engineer Sule pointed out that the Alago Nation is not only blessed with people but with other types of resources.

He said one area of focus for his administration is to use the abundant coking coal, which is the best, found in Obi to generate power.

The Governor used the opportunity of the visit to update the Alago Nation about the ongoing oil exploration in Keana, stressing that the exercise is still ongoing like there is no tomorrow.

“A lot of you may not know what is happening because you will think we have talked about it and the matter is gone. The area about oil is like agriculture or sugar, it takes time.

“They have been carrying out the acquisition of the various seismic, which means the investigation into what kind of oil you have, what quantity of oil is there, where exactly is it located, where do we drill the real well that we can hit the oil rather than drilling on a dry area. All that requires a lot of work and it requires high technology.

“And that work is ongoing as if there is no tomorrow. Nothing has stopped and by the grace of God, the first area that will produce oil in commercial quantity not only in Nasarawa state but most likely in Northern Nigeria, will be inside Alago land,” Engineer Sule disclosed.

Commenting on the infrastructural strides of his administration, particularly road construction, the Governor said he started with roads because the administration inherited a solid foundation left by the past administration of Senator Umaru Tanko Al-makura, who did a fantastic job all over the state.

While noting that his administration has completed some of the roads started by the previous administration, government is poised to open up more areas in Alago land for the purpose of agriculture.

Earlier, leader of the delegation and the Andoma of Doma, HRH, Ahmadu Aliyu Ogah Onawo, expressed gratitude to the Governor for choosing their son to be his deputy.

The royal father described Dr.Akabe as one of the best amongst the Alagos, stressing that he has the capacity, loyalty and allegiance required in a deputy.

“We guarantee you that whatever it takes for him to discharge his responsibilities obediently from the beginning to the end of your tenure, this, we know, he will do. And this, we will ensure, he does.

“We assure you, you will find in him a dependably ally, one with whom for every step you take, he is going to be a pillar of support for the success of your intensions,” the Andoma said.

The royal father described Engineer Sule as a leader that has come to serve, who has come with the intension to convey goodness to the length and breadth of the state.

For that reason, the royal father pleaded with the Governor to consider the Alago Nation.

“We are begging for every good that you do, for every local government, our local governments are there. For every good that you do for every people, our people are counting on you,” he stated.

As a mark of recognition, the Alago Nation honoured Engineer Sule with the traditional title of the Adole Ka Keana.